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
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has waterproofedperfect 3rd person singular
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have waterproofedperfect
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am waterproofingprogressive 1st person singular
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waterproofssingular 3rd person
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are waterproofingprogressive
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have been waterproofingperfect progressive
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has been waterproofingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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waterproofingparticiple
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is waterproofingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had waterproofedperfect
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were waterproofingprogressive plural
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waterproofedsimple
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was waterproofingprogressive singular
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waterproofedparticiple
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had been waterproofingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of waterproof
Explanation
Water can't penetrate something that's waterproof. Umbrellas and rain boots don't work very well if they're not waterproof. Waterproof jackets will keep you dry even if it starts to rain, and waterproof mascara won't run in black streaks down your face even if you're weeping at a sad movie. You can use this word as a verb, too: "We should waterproof the tent before we go camping this weekend — it's supposed to pour!" If you're British, you might also use waterproof as a noun, to mean a waterproof rain coat.
Vocabulary lists containing 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.
The first of its kind in the UK, the outdoor ward has enough space for six patients, who can be connected to power and oxygen supplies housed in a waterproof box next to each bed.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Bees, however, often coat their nests with a waxy secretion that creates a waterproof, polished interior.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
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
I slipped on waterproof shoes, grabbed a pair of shears and, still in my pajamas, tiptoed down the grand staircase of the château and out onto the dewy grass of the garden.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
“No. You can’t get the cast wet. I’ll figure out some way to waterproof it before you leave, but for today, stay in here. You do all your drills already?”
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
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.
