Proven means tested and shown to be true, reliable, or effective through experience or evidence. When something is proven, it has been demonstrated to work or be accurate through actual testing and results.

Scientists use proven methods, techniques that have reliably produced accurate results many times before. A proven strategy in chess is one that has won games for players over and over. When a lawyer presents proven facts in court, those facts are supported by solid evidence, not just speculation.

When your older sister tells you about a proven technique for memorizing vocabulary words, she means it has actually worked for her or others, not that she just thinks it might work. A proven track record means someone has consistently succeeded at something in the past.

Sometimes people say something is “tried and true” or a “proven winner,” emphasizing that real-world experience backs it up. This matters because plenty of ideas sound good in theory but fail in practice. When something is proven, you can trust it because it has already passed the test.