Valid Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms valid American [val-id] / ˈvæl ɪd /

adjective

1. sound; just; well-founded.

   a valid reason.

2. producing the desired result; effective.

   a valid antidote for gloom.

3. having force, weight, or cogency; authoritative.

   Synonyms: cogent, substantial

4. legally sound, effective, or binding; having legal force.

   a valid contract.

5. Logic. (of an argument) so constructed that if the premises are jointly asserted, the conclusion cannot be denied without contradiction.

   Synonyms: convincing, logical

6. Archaic. robust; well; healthy.

valid British / ˈvælɪd, vəˈlɪdɪtɪ /

adjective

1. having some foundation; based on truth

2. legally acceptable

   a valid licence

3. 1. having legal force; effective

   2. having legal authority; binding

4. having some force or cogency

   a valid point in a debate

5. logic (of an inference or argument) having premises and conclusion so related that whenever the former are true the latter must also be true, esp ( formally valid ) when the inference is justified by the form of the premises and conclusion alone. Thus Tom is a bachelor; therefore Tom is unmarried is valid but not formally so, while today is hot and dry; therefore today is hot is formally valid Compare invalid 2

6. archaic healthy or strong

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• nonvalid adjective
• nonvalidly adverb
• nonvalidness noun
• prevalid adjective
• prevalidly adverb
• quasi-valid adjective
• quasi-validly adverb
• validity noun
• validly adverb
• validness noun

Etymology

Origin of valid

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin validus “strong,” from val(ēre) “to be strong” + -idus -id 4; prevail ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under Alberta's Referendum Act, organisers must collect 177,732 valid signatures by May for a referendum question to be verified and potentially approved.

From BBC

Travel agents for an official ticketing booth in Beijing told AFP on Tuesday that anyone with a valid visa can now buy train tickets to the North.

From Barron's

A yellow warning for wind for North Wales, northern England, southern and eastern areas of Scotland comes in to force at 05:00 GMT and will stay valid until 20:00.

From BBC

We can’t rewind the tape without the war to see if its warning was valid.

From The Wall Street Journal

The agent said only people with valid visas can buy the tickets.

From BBC

Related Words

• accurate
• authentic
• binding
• compelling
• conclusive
• credible
• good
• lawful
• legal
• legitimate
• logical
• original
• persuasive
• solid
• true
• well-founded

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.