waterproof
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with object)
adjective
noun
verb
Usage
What does waterproof mean? If something is waterproof, water can’t soak it or get inside of it. For example, waterproof boots will keep your feet dry even if you walk in water.Waterproof is also commonly used as a verb meaning to make something waterproof, as in We need to waterproof this basement so it won’t flood during rainstorms. Waterproof is sometimes used in the U.K. as a noun to refer to a waterproof garment, especially a raincoat, as in It’s raining, so you’d better wear your waterproof.Example: Make sure you get a waterproof tent—the ones that are only water-resistant can still let the rain in.
Other Word Forms
- waterproofer noun
- waterproofness noun
Etymology
Origin of waterproof
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.
Elon Musk tweeted in 2022 that the Cybertruck “will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
And much like his newly purchased pad, Simmons’ former home “utilizes solar-power for pool and radiant heated flooring, eco-materials and fire-resistant, waterproof triple-panel windows.”
From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026
Like at the brand's men's show in January, a short yellow waterproof cape decorated a coat, while a beige jacket revealed bronze sequins beneath a turned up collar.
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
Though it’s not waterproof, you can wear it during most workouts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
Shifa took out the basket, spade, and waterproof sheet to reduce the weight and together they struggled around the island with the boat and moored it with the rope.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
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.
