waterproof
Americanadjective
noun
-
waterproofs
plural
verb (used with object)
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waterproofs,
present (3rd person singular)
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waterproofed,
past participle, past
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waterproofing
present participle
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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
waterproofsimple
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waterproofssimple
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have waterproofedperfect
-
has waterproofedperfect
-
am waterproofingprogressive
-
are waterproofingprogressive
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is waterproofingprogressive
-
have been waterproofingperfect progressive
-
has been waterproofingperfect progressive
Past
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waterproofedsimple
-
had waterproofedperfect
-
was waterproofingprogressive
-
were waterproofingprogressive
-
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.
See Examples For:
With extreme weather events becoming increasingly frequent as a result of climate change, the Netherlands will have to rethink a strategy that has until now been "waterproof."
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Many still made it through, planning their crossings with waterproof bags for phones, cash and other essentials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
"The 2,000-foot-long basin was drained" and "a tinted polyurea liner" was installed in the pool to "waterproof and protect the concrete pool surface", the NPS outlined in its statement.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
A waterproof coating allows the cathode to keep functioning, and the vertical layout helps it dry gradually after water recedes.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2026
On the back, surrounded by the words waterproof, antimagnetic, and shock-protected, her married initials, A.G., are inscribed.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
"If I get wet, I get wet. I just don't like wearing waterproofs, 'cos you sweat too much."
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
Other than sweating in his waterproofs, Colin's biggest complaint is traffic speeding through the village.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
I packed as I would for a hostile assignment: Layers and waterproofs to account for the notoriously moody weather.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2022
When the weather turned sour, as it has the tendency to do in Scotland, Timberlake was prepared with a pair of waterproofs from Ralph Lauren RLX, a G/FORE umbrella and a matching Clubglove golf towel.
From Golf Digest ● Sep. 28, 2019
There is no pleasure in walking in waterproofs.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
The entire audience area was gutted and rebuilt, new foundations were poured in the basement and spaces were waterproofed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2024
Teflon was also used to make the DEG, which was waterproofed and covered with a conductive fabric to act as the electrodes.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 17, 2024
They are used in thousands of common household products, particularly those that are meant to be waterproofed or stain-resistant.
From Salon ● Nov. 13, 2023
Jeep’s are meant to be taken off-road, and as such, the company claims its electronic are properly sealed and waterproofed.
From The Verge ● Sep. 29, 2021
The new equipment also included the most sophisticated metal detectors ever invented and waterproofed iPads that enabled the team’s divers to map the location of each new artifact that was discovered in real time.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
At 443 Greenwich, the offering plan called for a brand new “green roof” with multiple layers of waterproofing, but condo owners alleged that the roof actually installed was a cheaper version.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The other thing—the much better-known thing—is that they’re putting a waterproofing coating down at the bottom of the pool.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026
Seabirds are especially at risk because oil destroyed the waterproofing of their feathers, leading to hypothermia and drowning.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
Powered by a battery, with Wi-Fi data transfer and waterproofing, the sensor can work outdoors for over a month, allowing for extended data collection.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 26, 2024
The blocks were molded with 1-3 mortar faces, the mortar being waterproofed by a mixture of Medusa waterproofing compound.
From Concrete Construction Methods and Costs by Halbert Powers Gillette
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.
