Meaning & use
proved
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“proved” is a form of “prove”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Showed that something is true by giving evidence, an argument or the result of a test.
Grammar: Takes an object or a that-clause: she proved her theory; he proved that it worked.
Patterns
- prove something
- prove that
- prove something to someone
The lab results proved that the water was unsafe.
She proved her point with a simple experiment.
He proved to his doubters that the old engine could still run.
verblinking
Turned out to be a certain way once events had played out.
Grammar: Followed by an adjective or to be: the plan proved difficult.
Patterns
- prove something
- prove to be something
The repair proved more expensive than the quote.
The hike proved to be harder than any of us expected.
Their advice proved useful in the end.
verbtransitive
Showed yourself to be capable or worthy through what you did.
Grammar: Often used reflexively: proved herself.
Patterns
- prove yourself
The new striker proved himself in his first match.
She proved herself an excellent leader during the crisis.
Word forms
| third person singular | proves |
|---|---|
| past tense | proved |
| past participle | proved or proven |
| -ing form | proving |
Common combinations
- proved a point
- He proved a point by running the whole race without stopping.
- proved wrong
- The critics were proved wrong by the sales figures.
- proved useful
- The map proved useful on the trail.
- proved difficult
- Finding parking proved difficult in the old town.
- proved himself
- The rookie proved himself under pressure.
- proved beyond doubt
- The recording proved the story beyond doubt.
Synonyms and how they differ
- demonstrated
- Demonstrated means showed clearly, often by example or practice, whereas proved implies that the matter is settled.
- confirmed
- Confirmed fits when something was already suspected and is now made certain, while proved can also introduce new facts.
- established
- Established is more formal and is common in legal or research writing.
- verified
- Verified means checked to be true, usually by comparison against a source, rather than argued to be true.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: proved or proven? proved or approved?
proved vs proven
Proven is the alternative past participle and the usual form before a noun (a proven method), while proved is more common in the simple past.
proved vs approved
Approved means officially accepted, whereas proved means shown to be true.
Practice
The new bridge ___ much stronger than the engineers had predicted.
Choose one answer.
Proved here means turned out to be, followed directly by an adjective. Approved, improved and provided do not fit this linking pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “proved”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.