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

• provability noun
• provably adverb
• provable adjective
• provableness noun
• 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

He’s the only one who doesn’t need to prove he’s a great actor, yet he feels like a revelation.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

President Obama’s promise that “if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it” was proved to be a lie by 2013.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Sure enough, much of the Conservative convention had an “us too!” quality about it as the party tried to prove it could be a better version of Reform.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

And academic recovery — as measured by test scores — has proved a stubbornly difficult hurdle across the nation, long after students left behind online learning and returned to in-person classes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ghosh might not have quite have been able to match Gardner and Mooney, as she narrowly missed out on a maiden international century, but the innings seemed certain to prove every bit as important.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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