Prove: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ”
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prove

 

[ pruหv ]

Verb / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Verb

in logic

Demonstrate the truth or existence of (something) by evidence or argument.

Synonyms

confirm, demonstrate, establish, substantiate, verify.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
prove

Used when you want to show that something is true based on evidence or argument. It is often used in legal, scientific, or formal contexts.

  • The lawyer aimed to prove his client's innocence.
  • We need to prove our hypothesis through a series of experiments.
demonstrate

Used when you want to show how something works or to illustrate a point clearly. Often used in educational, technical, or presentation settings.

  • The teacher will demonstrate how to solve the equation.
  • He demonstrated the features of the new software.
establish

Used when you want to set something up on a firm or permanent basis. It is often used in contexts related to rules, systems, or institutions.

  • The committee aims to establish new guidelines for research.
  • They need to establish a reliable communication system.
verify

Used when you want to check the accuracy or truth of something. This is common in contexts involving authentication or validation.

  • Please verify your email address.
  • The accountant needs to verify the financial statements.
substantiate

Used when you want to support a claim or assertion with evidence. Often used in legal, academic, or formal discussions.

  • He could not substantiate his claims with any evidence.
  • The researcher had to substantiate the theory with concrete data.
confirm

Used to reiterate the truth or accuracy of something that has already been indicated or expected. It is common in everyday and formal contexts.

  • Can you confirm your attendance at the meeting?
  • The test results confirm that the patient has a common cold.

Examples of usage

  • The concept is difficult to prove
  • He had to prove his innocence in court
Context #2 | Verb

in practice

Show to be right or reasonable.

Synonyms

corroborate, endorse, justify, support, validate.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
prove

Used when you need to show that something is true by providing evidence or logical reasoning. It's often used in scientific, academic, or legal settings.

  • He needed to prove his theory with detailed experiments.
  • The lawyer worked hard to prove his client's innocence.
justify

Used when providing reasons or explanations to show that an action or decision is reasonable, necessary, or just. Often used in ethical or moral discussions.

  • He tried to justify his actions by explaining the circumstances.
  • The company had to justify the increase in prices.
validate

Used when you want to confirm the accuracy or truth of something, often with official documents, procedures, or experiments.

  • The test results need to be validated by an independent lab.
  • His findings were validated by peer review.
support

Used for showing approval, assistance, or help towards a person, idea, or cause. It can be used in both personal and professional contexts.

  • Her family supported her during the difficult times.
  • The evidence supports the theory presented by the scientists.
endorse

Used when someone publicly supports or approves something or someone, usually related to public figures or marketing.

  • Many celebrities endorse various products.
  • The senator endorsed the new policy proposal.
corroborate

Used when you want to provide additional evidence or support to strengthen an already existing claim. Often used in legal or investigative contexts.

  • The witness was able to corroborate the alibi of the accused.
  • The data from the experiment corroborates the initial hypothesis.

Examples of usage

  • The decision proved to be correct
  • Her theory was later proved wrong
Context #3 | Noun

in mathematics

A test or trial version of a product, especially software.

Synonyms

beta version, test version, trial version.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
prove

Employed when you are demonstrating something is true or correct, often with evidence or logical arguments.

  • The scientist needed to prove her hypothesis with experiments.
  • He tried to prove his point during the debate.
trial version

Often used in marketing to refer to a version of a product that is available to users for free for a limited time to test its features.

  • You can use the trial version of the software for 30 days before deciding to purchase.
  • The trial version allows users to experience the main features of the service.
beta version

Used in software development to refer to a version that is not final and is released to a limited audience for testing.

  • The app is currently in its beta version, so some features might not work perfectly.
  • We need feedback on the beta version before the official release.
test version

Commonly used in both software and other contexts to refer to a preliminary version created for the purpose of testing.

  • We are running a test version of the new website to check for any bugs.
  • The test version of the product is available for a few selected users.

Examples of usage

  • The company released a beta prove of their new app
  • I downloaded the prove to test it out

Translations

Translations of the word "prove" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น provar

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเคพเคฌเคฟเคค เค•เคฐเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช beweisen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ membuktikan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะดะพะฒะพะดะธั‚ะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ udowodniฤ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ่จผๆ˜Žใ™ใ‚‹ (ใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใ‚ใ„ใ™ใ‚‹)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท prouver

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ probar

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท kanฤฑtlamak

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ฆ๋ช…ํ•˜๋‹ค

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ูŠุซุจุช

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dokรกzat

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ dokรกzaลฅ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่ฏๆ˜Ž (zhรจngmรญng)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ dokazati

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ sanna

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะดำ™ะปะตะปะดะตัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ“แƒแƒ›แƒขแƒ™แƒ˜แƒชแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sรผbut etmษ™k

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ probar

Etymology

The word 'prove' originated from the Old French word 'prover' which means 'to establish, prove'. It has been used in the English language since the 12th century. The term has evolved over time to represent the act of demonstrating the truth or validity of something through evidence or argument.

See also: disprove, provable, proved, proven, reprove, unproven.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #1,357, this word is part of core intermediate vocabulary. It appears regularly in various contexts and is essential for natural-sounding English.