proofread
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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proofreadsimple
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proofreadssimple
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have proofreadperfect
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has proofreadperfect
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am proofreadingprogressive
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are proofreadingprogressive
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is proofreadingprogressive
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have been proofreadingperfect progressive
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has been proofreadingperfect progressive
Past
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proofreadsimple
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had proofreadperfect
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was proofreadingprogressive
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were proofreadingprogressive
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had been proofreadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of proofread
1930–35; back formation from proofreader ( see proof, read 1)
Explanation
To proofread is to look over a piece of writing for errors, watching out for spelling mistakes and grammar problems. If you don’t proofread your work, you might write “ham” instead of “harm” and confuse the heck out of your reader. By the time you proofread a piece of writing, it should be almost done. It’s the very last step of the writing process after drafting, editing, and revising. To proofread is to look at the little details of a piece of writing, such as spelling, word choice, formatting, and sentence structure. When you proofread, you look for errors and fix them. You can proofread your own work, but sometimes it’s good to get someone else to proofread what you've written.
Vocabulary lists containing proofread
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Language and Grammar - Introductory
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Journalism
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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:
It’s a clear no, with the only exceptions being when editors use A.I. to proofread their writing or translate foreign-language entries.
From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2026
Apple said that workers at the new factory in Texas will produce servers for Apple Intelligence, an AI system that can help people write, proofread text and complete other tasks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2025
Kaspar did a Q&A for the Sophia’s Cure YouTube channel from the Gaynors’ dining room and proofread posts Vincent wrote for the charity’s website.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2025
“I appreciate your note and only wish someone had proofread it first,” he added.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 4, 2023
He was scratching rapidly at the second page, his fingers blue with ink, while Henry proofread the first one, dashing in subscripts and aspirants with his fountain pen.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Scheduling should include time for rewrites, proofreads and secondary reads by friends, colleagues and family members, experts say.
From Nature ● Dec. 19, 2019
Between homework and scholarship applications, Huynh said she usually proofreads her dad’s emails, checking for accurate grammar and punctuation. He keeps a notebook with key vocabulary terms and phrases by his computer to learn daily.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2018
He also proofreads the game program and can recall statistics, with savant-like accuracy, from Oregon Tech victories 20 years ago.
From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2012
On the train, she makes more calls and proofreads documents.
From Time Magazine Archive
Axel Springer has announced job cuts in recent years, pointing in part to the role of artificial intelligence in rendering certain roles such as proofreading obsolete.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
New AI tools can assist iPhone, Mac and iPad users with proofreading and composing messages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2024
Human editors then adapt the generated copy to something that the real Al Michaels might say spontaneously, while proofreading the text for any typos—especially those pertaining to athlete names.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2024
The team have made their CNN accessible, providing a user-friendly graphical user interface that integrates targeted augmentation, streamlining the process into a comprehensive pipeline, from manual annotation to final proofreading.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 5, 2023
Now he had to struggle to say something that interested her, something that made her look up from her plate, or from her proofreading files.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions 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.
