: an act, process, or instance of validating;
especially : the determination of
the degree of validity of a measuring device
val·id
: having legal efficacy or force; especially : executed with the proper legal authority and formalities <a valid contract>
: well-grounded or justifiable : being at once relevant and meaningful <a valid theory>: logically correct <a valid argument> <valid inference>
: appropriate to the end in view : EFFECTIVE <every craft has its own valid methods>
4 of a taxon : conforming to accepted principles of sound biological classification
- va·lid·i·ty /v&-'li-d&-tE, va-/ noun
- val·id·ly /'va-l&d-lE/ adverb
synonyms
VALID, SOUND, COGENT, CONVINCING,
TELLING mean having such force as to compel serious attention and usually
acceptance.
VALID implies being supported by objective truth or generally accepted authority <a valid reason for being absent> <a valid marriage>.
SOUND implies a basis of flawless reasoning or of solid grounds <a sound proposal for reviving the economy>.
COGENT may stress either weight of sound argument and evidence or lucidity of presentation <the prosecutor's cogent summation won over the jury>.
CONVINCING suggests a power to overcome doubt, opposition, or reluctance to accept <a convincing argument for welfare reform>.
TELLING stresses an immediate and crucial effect striking at
the heart of a matter <a telling example of bureaucratic waste>.
val·i·date
: to make legally valid b : to grant official sanction
to by marking
: to confirm the validity of (an election); also : to declare
(a person) elected
: to support or corroborate on a sound or authoritative
basis
<experiments designed to validate the hypothesis>
synonym see CONFIRM