invalidate

/ɪnˈvælɪdeɪt/ formal

Say it: in-VAL-i-date

1. verb To make a document, contract, or official result lose its legal force or authority.
A procedural error was discovered that could invalidate the entire election.
2. verb To prove that an argument, theory, or idea is wrong or not based on fact.
The new data seems to invalidate the long-held hypothesis.
3. verb To dismiss someone's feelings or experiences as being wrong, unimportant, or not worthy of consideration.
Telling someone they are 'too sensitive' is a common way to invalidate their feelings.

📖 Seen in the wild

New evidence emerged that could invalidate the previous findings of the study.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ invalidate in a sentence

The court invalidated the patent, ruling that the invention was not original.
If you don't save the receipt, you might invalidate the product's warranty.
His alibi was invalidated when a witness placed him at the scene of the crime.
One of the goals of therapy is to learn not to invalidate your own emotional responses.
The software will automatically invalidate any password that does not meet the security requirements.
A single contradictory fact is enough to invalidate a scientific theory.
The marriage was invalidated on the grounds that it was entered into under duress.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

annul nullify void negate cancel discredit refute undermine

annul · suggests a formal declaration that something was never legally valid in the first place, often used for marriages.

nullify · implies using power or authority to cancel the legal force of something.

void · a direct legal term meaning to make something have no legal effect whatsoever.

negate · often used for arguments or effects, meaning to make something ineffective or untrue.

Opposites: validate, confirm, uphold, ratify, endorse

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'invalidate' entered English in the mid-17th century, built from the Latin prefix 'in-', meaning 'not', and the word 'validus', meaning 'strong' or 'effective'. Its original and still primary use is in a legal sense, literally meaning 'to make not strong' or 'to deprive of legal force'. Over time, its meaning expanded to include arguments and ideas.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

invalidate a contractinvalidate the resultsinvalidate an argumentinvalidate a claiminvalidate a marriageinvalidate a will

'Invalidate' is a strong, formal word. Its primary meaning relates to making something legally or officially void, like a contract or a vote. When used for arguments or theories, it means to decisively disprove them. In recent psychological use, 'invalidating someone's feelings' has become a common phrase for dismissing or denying their emotional experience, which is a less formal but widely understood application of the word.

Word family: invalid, invalidity, invalidation

💬 Quick answers

What does 'invalidate' mean?

To invalidate something is to make it no longer legally or officially acceptable, or to show that an argument or belief is false. It can also mean to dismiss someone's feelings as unimportant.

What is the difference between 'invalidate' and 'nullify'?

Both mean to make something legally void. 'Nullify' often implies an action taken to cancel something out, while 'invalidate' often points to an inherent flaw that makes something void.

Is 'invalidate' a formal word?

Yes, 'invalidate' is considered a formal word. In casual conversation, people are more likely to use phrases like 'cancel,' 'disprove,' or 'doesn't count'.

Can you invalidate a person?

You cannot invalidate a person, but you can invalidate their arguments, claims, or feelings. This means you are dismissing them as being without a valid basis or importance.

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