Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - Subsequent Event $ in Millions	May 01, 2020 USD ($)
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Term of loan, years	3 years
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 400.0
Line of Credit Facility, Capacity Available for Specific Purpose Other than for Trade Purchases	$ 150.0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate Description	The interest rates applicable to loans under the Credit Facility are, at Teradyne’s option, equal to either a base rate plus a margin ranging from 0.50% to 1.25% per annum or LIBOR, a minimum of 0.75%, plus a margin ranging from 1.50% to 2.25% per annum, based on the consolidated leverage ratio of Teradyne. In addition, Teradyne will pay a commitment fee on the unused portion of the commitments under the Credit Facility ranging from 0.25% to 0.40% per annum, based on the then applicable consolidated leverage ratio.
Collateral Pledged [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Percent Of Available For Sale Securities Restricted	65.00%

Percent of available for sale securities restricted.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	ter_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum amount of borrowing capacity under a line of credit that is available as of the balance sheet date for a specific purpose other than for financing goods acquired for inventory or imminent delivery to a customer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type: