proffer
Americanverb (used with object)
-
proffers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proffered,
past participle, past
-
proffering
present participle
noun
-
the act of proffering.
-
an offer or proposal.
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See offer.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
proffersimple
-
profferssimple
-
have profferedperfect
-
has profferedperfect
-
am profferingprogressive
-
are profferingprogressive
-
is profferingprogressive
-
have been profferingperfect progressive
-
has been profferingperfect progressive
Past
-
profferedsimple
-
had profferedperfect
-
was profferingprogressive
-
were profferingprogressive
-
had been profferingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of proffer
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English profren, from Anglo-French profrer, variant of Old French poroffrir, equivalent to por- pro- 1 + offrir offer
Explanation
If you present something for acceptance or rejection, you proffer it. If your best friend is really struggling with her math homework, you might want to proffer her some advice — like suggesting that she get a tutor. What's the difference between proffer and offer? If you say you proffered something to a friend, it suggests a spirit of generosity and it signals that your friend was welcome to accept or reject it as he saw fit. In other words, proffer is usually a little more polite than offer. To remember this, think of the following equation: p[oliteness] + offer = proffer.
Vocabulary lists containing proffer
Lord of the Flies
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Power Prefix: pro
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Still, the gas proffer comes on the eve of a three-way meeting of Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. in Abu Dhabi.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Rather than declining invitations that you can’t afford, proffer your own invites for dinner or to a barbecue or the county fair.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
In 2008, Davis talked to authorities with the protection of a proffer from the Los Angeles Police Department, meaning his statements could not be used against him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
He now says his proffer agreement with police, under which he agreed to tell them what he knew but it couldn't be used against him in court, was given under duress, according to Netflix.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025
“The Holy Father bids us to accept your proffer, Lancelot” The pathos which was growing in the room was broken by the Orkney faction for the second time.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
“He was essentially given a free pass when he admitted under the proffers to the feds, but until he wrote the book, they couldn’t use the statements,” said veteran defense attorney Mark Geragos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Standing out from the rest of the Crosstrek lineup, the Wilderness grade proffers a more distinct, rugged appearance.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 26, 2025
But van Mulukon proffers another wrinkle to the mix of set, setting and neurology: culture.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2024
I hear a collaboratively composed mixtape that proffers a chill aesthetic even as it comes across as carefully chiseled in its execution.
From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2022
She must only be asking if there are any I want as she proffers the tray like a wheel of good fortune.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Batson established a three-part framework for racial juror challenges: Defense counsel challenges a strike, the prosecutor gives race-neutral reasons for it, then defense counsel has the opportunity to rebut those proffered reasons as pretextual.
From Slate ● May 28, 2026
They wrote that the government’s “sole proffered evidence” of Allen’s intent to kill Trump — the “Apology and Explanation” letter — was “far from clear” and never actually mentioned Trump by name.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
An MP close to Miliband proffered a more straightforward explanation.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026
An exception among them is the purposely titled “Outrageous Predictions” proffered annually by Saxo Bank of Denmark.
From Barron's ● Dec. 5, 2025
Tommy Baseomb unrolled the contract and thrust it under Snuffy’s nose, and Snuffy sniffed it and then squinched down his eyebrows, pretending to study the various clauses the regional director so self-righteously proffered.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Surprisingly, this was Ms. Josefowicz’s first Ojai Festival, her debut on the Libbey Bowl stage having come the day before, proffering Mr. Adams’s rollicking “Road Movies” with her frequent musical partner John Novacek on piano.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
His moment in the Oval Office, proffering the invite from the King for a historic second state visit, "the most heart in mouth" moment of the whole year for some of his allies.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025
Passersby pressed their hands into hers, proffering congratulations.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2024
The Zilbersteins and Righetti have gone onto start a business proffering the unique protein-analyzing tech, called SpringStyle Tech Design.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2023
He took another leisurely bite of the oil stick before proffering it to her.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
