prove

[proov]

verb (used with object)

proved, proved, proven, proving. 

1. to establish the truth or genuineness of, as by evidence or argument.

   to prove one's claim.

   Synonyms: verify, substantiate, confirm, demonstrate
   Antonyms: disprove

2. Law.,  to establish the authenticity or validity of (a will); probate.

3. to give demonstration of by action.

4. to subject to a test, experiment, comparison, analysis, or the like, to determine quality, amount, acceptability, characteristics, etc..

   to prove ore.

5. to show (oneself ) to have the character or ability expected of one, especially through one's actions.

6. Mathematics.,  to verify the correctness or validity of by mathematical demonstration or arithmetical proof.

7. Printing.,  Also to take a trial impression of (type, a cut, etc.).

8. to cause (dough) to rise to the necessary lightness.

9. Archaic.,  to experience.

verb (used without object)

proved, proved, proven, proving. 

1. to turn out.

   The experiment proved to be successful.

2. to be found by trial or experience to be.

   His story proved false.

3. (of dough) to rise to a specified lightness.

   Leave covered until it has proved.

prove

/ pruːv /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to establish or demonstrate the truth or validity of; verify, esp by using an established sequence of procedures or statements

2. to establish the quality of, esp by experiment or scientific analysis

3. law to establish the validity and genuineness of (a will)

4. to show (oneself) able or courageous

5. (copula) to be found or shown (to be)

   this has proved useless

   he proved to be invaluable

6. printing to take a trial impression of (type, etc)

7. (intr) (of dough) to rise in a warm place before baking

8. archaic,  to undergo

Usage

Either proved or proven is standard as the past participle of prove : Events have proved (or proven ) him wrong. As a modifier, proven is by far the more common: a proven fact.

Other Word Forms

• provable adjective
• provability noun
• provableness noun
• provably adverb
• provenly adverb
• prover noun
• half-proved adjective
• half-proven adjective
• nonprovable adjective
• overprove verb (used with object)
• preprove verb (used with object)
• self-proving adjective
• semiproven adjective
• unprovable adjective
• unproved adjective
• unproven adjective
• unproving adjective
• well-proved adjective
• well-proven adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prove¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English proven, from Old French prover, from Latin probāre “to try, test, prove, approve,” derivative of probus “good.” See probity

Word History and Origins

Origin of prove¹

C12: from Old French prover, from Latin probāre to test, from probus honest

Idioms and Phrases

• exception proves the rule

Example Sentences

This doesn’t necessarily mean the market is in for a catastrophic collapse, but it does mean it has increasingly been at risk of a pullback, even if it proves to be minor.

Read more on Barron's

The Fed cut interest rates by 1 percentage point at the last three meetings of 2024 before standing pat amid concerns inflation might be proving sticky.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Donations triggered by purchases have proven tricky for businesses before, said Waters, the consultant.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And then he buckled down to insist that this brouhaha around his comments only proved that Islamophobia runs wild in New York.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That’s why the U.S. needs a long view that begins with a rebuilt bipartisan consensus around our approach to China and recognizes that neither a go-it-alone strategy nor a policy of accommodation has proved effective.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• confirm 
• convince 
• demonstrate 
• determine 
• explain 
• find 
• justify 
• result 
• show 
• substantiate 
• test 
• try 
• turn out 
• validate 
• verify