prove

prove — verb

1. to be seen or discovered to have a certain quality or result as time goes by

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to be seen or discovered to have a certain quality or result as time goes by

Example

The new medicine proved effective after several months of careful study.

prove + [adjective] (linking verb pattern)

Mateo's guess about the final score proved to be surprisingly accurate.

prove to be + [adjective]

Common collocations
  • proved effective
  • proved useful
  • proved difficult
  • proved impossible
  • proved popular
Synonyms
  • turn out

    less formal; often used in everyday speech instead of 'prove'

  • end up

    focuses more on the final state after a series of events

Grammar Patterns

prove + [adjective]

prove to be + [adjective/noun]

Usage Note

This is a linking verb, so it is followed directly by an adjective or by 'to be' + adjective/noun. Unlike sense 3, this sense does not take a that-clause. The subject is usually a thing or situation, not a person.

Common Mistakes

The plan proved that it is useful.
The plan proved useful.
sense 1 is a linking verb; use an adjective directly, not a that-clause.
He proved a doctor.' (ambiguous)
He proved to be a doctor.
without 'to be', the sentence sounds like sense 3 (he showed proof that someone is a doctor).

2. to demonstrate your own ability or worth through your actions, so that others re

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to demonstrate your own ability or worth through your actions, so that others recognize it

Example

Shirin proved herself during the busy holiday season by working extra shifts.

prove + [reflexive pronoun]

The young chef proved herself to be a calm leader even on the busiest nights.

prove + [reflexive pronoun] + to be + [noun]

Common collocations
  • prove yourself
  • prove his worth
  • prove her value
  • prove oneself worthy
Synonyms
  • demonstrate

    more formal; 'demonstrate your ability' is a common alternative

  • show

    more general and less emphatic than 'prove'

Grammar Patterns

prove + [reflexive pronoun]

prove + [reflexive pronoun] + to be + [noun/adjective]

Usage Note

Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves). The object is the person whose ability is being demonstrated. Common in workplace, sports, and academic settings.

Common Mistakes

She proved to be a good doctor.' (ambiguous — could be sense 1)
She proved herself to be a good doctor.
use a reflexive pronoun to clearly mean sense 2.

3. to demonstrate with facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement or belief is

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to demonstrate with facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement or belief is correct

Example

Andrei proved his theory through a series of careful laboratory experiments.

prove + [noun phrase] (direct object)

The lawyer proved that her client was nowhere near the bank that night.

prove + that-clause

Common collocations
  • prove a theory
  • prove guilt
  • prove innocence
  • prove a point
  • prove the existence of
Synonyms
  • confirm

    implies that something was already believed to be true; 'prove' is stronger

  • verify

    focuses on checking that something is correct, often against established facts

  • demonstrate

    can mean showing something is true by providing evidence or a practical example

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

prove + [noun phrase]

prove + that-clause

be proved + [adjective/infinitive]

Usage Note

The most literal sense of 'prove'. Unlike sense 1, this sense can take a that-clause and is commonly used in legal, scientific, and academic contexts. The opposite is 'disprove'. Frequently used in the passive voice ('it was proved that...').

Common Mistakes

I proved him.' (incomplete)
I proved him wrong.' or 'I proved his theory.
'prove' needs a clear object like a claim, fact, or quality.
This proves about his guilt.
This proves his guilt.
'prove' is not followed by 'about'.

4. to try out a method, piece of equipment, or idea in order to see whether it work

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to try out a method, piece of equipment, or idea in order to see whether it works or has the expected qualities

Example

The engineers proved the new engine design before giving it to the factory.

formal register: prove + [object being tested]

Nellie proved several different approaches to find the most efficient one.

Common collocations
  • prove a design
  • prove a method
  • prove equipment
  • prove safety
Synonyms
  • test

    more common in everyday English; 'test' implies checking if something works

  • try out

    informal; suggests testing something in a practical situation

Grammar Patterns

prove + [noun phrase]

Usage Note

This sense is more formal and less frequent than sense 3. In everyday modern English, 'test' or 'try out' is much more common. This sense is found more in technical, engineering, and quality-control writing.

5. to allow dough made with yeast to swell and rise before baking; or for the dough

5.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to allow dough made with yeast to swell and rise before baking; or for the dough itself to swell as the yeast produces gas

Example

Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it prove for about one hour.

let + [noun] + prove (causative pattern)

Amihan proved the bread dough in a warm spot near the kitchen stove.

Common collocations
  • prove the dough
  • let it prove
  • prove in a warm place
  • proving time

Grammar Patterns

prove + [noun]

[noun] + proves

let + [noun] + prove

Usage Note

Primarily used in British English. In American English, the verb 'proof' or simply 'rise' is more common. The noun form used in baking is 'proving' (as in 'proving drawer' or 'proving time').

Common Mistakes

Let the bread prove for 10 minutes in the oven.' (in baking, 'prove' is done before baking, not in the oven)
Let the bread prove on the counter for one hour before baking.
Idioms

the exception proves the rule

idiom

a saying used when an unusual case or situation actually helps to show that a general statement or pattern is true in most cases

Most of my students arrive on time, but Emily is always ten minutes late — I guess she is the exception that proves the rule.

The manager pointed out that one bad review among hundreds of glowing ones simply proves the rule.

the exception that proves the rule

idiom

This phrase is used when a single case that seems different from the usual situation actually shows that the usual situation is still true in general.

Maya got an A without studying, but she is the exception that proves the rule.

Our company's success this year is the exception that proves the rule in a struggling market.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/3

All four words relate to showing that something is true, but they differ in strength and context. 'Prove' is the strongest — it means using enough evidence to remove reasonable doubt, and is common in law, science, and mathematics. 'Confirm' means to support or make certain something already believed to be true, often by providing additional information ('The test results confirmed the doctor's diagnosis'). 'Verify' focuses on checking that something is accurate or corresponds to a standard, and is common in technical and administrative settings ('Please verify your email address'). 'Demonstrate' is more practical and visible — it shows something is true by providing a clear example or performing a visible action ('The teacher demonstrated how the experiment works'). 'Establish' is more formal and often used in academic or legal writing to show that a fact has been proven beyond doubt over time ('The study established a link between diet and heart disease'). In everyday speech, 'prove' and 'show' are the most natural; 'verify', 'demonstrate', and 'establish' sound more formal.

confirm ↗verify ↗demonstrate ↗establish ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • prove beyond a reasonable doubt
  • prove your point
  • prove the value of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'prove' comes from Latin 'probare', meaning 'to test, approve, or demonstrate as good'. This Latin root also gives us 'probable', 'probe', and 'proof'. It passed into Old French as 'prover' and then entered Middle English around the 1200s. The original sense of 'testing' (now sense 4) was the earliest meaning; the 'show truth' sense (sense 3) developed later, followed by the linking-verb sense (sense 1) meaning 'turn out'. The baking sense (sense 5) comes from the idea of testing whether the dough is ready — if it 'proves', it passes the test.