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.
Buying your own private island off the Welsh coast does not necessarily require a lottery win, but waterproofs are a must if you are to negotiate low tide back to the mainland.
From BBC
“We have a waterproof storage container out back by the pool.”
From Literature
The finished product was not fully waterproof, and it was going to need regular maintenance, but it was a huge improvement.
From Literature
The chemicals, also known as PFAS, are used in many everyday products because of their waterproof properties, but those propertise also mean they accumulate rather than break down in water, soil and animals.
From BBC
Kawagoe, a city on the outskirts of Tokyo, turned to a low-tech initiative: It began distributing waterproof trash bags to tourists.
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.
