# proving

/ˈpɹuvɪŋ/ (US) · /pɹˈuːvɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/proving
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. showing truth

verb · CEFR B1

showing that something is definitely true by using facts or evidence.

For teachers: demonstrating the truth or validity of a proposition through evidence or logical argument.

- Proving his innocence took many years and a lot of hard work.
- Proving the theorem required a sophisticated understanding of non-Euclidean geometry that few in the department possessed.

Usage: Often followed by a 'that' clause or a direct object.

### 2. turning out to be

verb · CEFR B2

becoming or showing itself to be a certain way over time.

For teachers: turning out to be or manifesting a particular quality in the course of time.

- The new software is proving very useful for our daily tasks.
- The initial investment is proving more lucrative than the board had anticipated, despite the volatile market conditions.

Usage: Commonly used with an adjective as a complement.

### 3. testing substances

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the process of testing how a substance affects the body.

For teachers: the systematic process of testing a substance on healthy subjects to observe its effects.

- The scientist spent months on the proving of the new herbal extract.
- The clinical proving of the compound revealed several unexpected side effects that necessitated a complete revision of the dosage guidelines.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized sense mostly found in historical or alternative medicine contexts; general learners should focus on the verb forms.

## Examples

- The new data is proving that our theory was correct.
- The task is proving more difficult than the team originally anticipated during the planning phase.
- While the initial results were promising, proving the long-term efficacy of the treatment requires years of rigorous clinical observation and peer-reviewed analysis.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.