invalid

1 of 4

adjective (1)

in·​val·​id (ˌ)in-ˈva-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
: not valid:
a
: being without foundation or force in fact, truth, or law
an invalid assumption
declared the will invalid
b
: logically inconsequent
invalidly adverb

invalid

2 of 4

noun

in·​va·​lid ˈin-və-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
 British usually  -ˌlēd
: one who is sickly or disabled

invalid

3 of 4

verb

in·​va·​lid ˈin-və-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
-ˌlid,
 British usually  -ˌlēd,
 or  ˌin-və-ˈlēd
invalided; invaliding; invalids

transitive verb

1
: to remove from active duty by reason of sickness or disability
2
: to make sickly or disabled

invalid

4 of 4

adjective (2)

in·​va·​lid ˈin-və-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
 British usually  -ˌlēd
1
: affected by disease or disability : sickly
2
: of, relating to, or suited to one that is sick
an invalid chair

Examples of invalid in a Sentence

Noun Her husband has become an invalid.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Several pollsters and Black political scientists that spoke with USA TODAY said that the former president’s comparison between his legal troubles and the injustices that Black Americans have faced in the legal system are invalid. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 The city of Westwood will move forward with selling its lone park so it can be redeveloped into retail and office buildings, now that a Johnson County judge has ruled that a resident petition aiming to stop the sale is invalid. Sarah Ritter, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2024 In late November, state regulators notified the city that the budget vote was invalid because of state requirements that call for the unanimous vote of a full commission. Joey Flechas, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 Karamo and her allies have been adamant that her removal and Hoekstra's election were invalid and that the RNC has no authority to decide otherwise. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 18 Feb. 2024 Last year, the Patriot Party of Arizona failed to qualify as a political party in the state when initial screening of its signatures found about one of every six names was invalid. Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2024 Xi’s effort to synthesize Confucius and Marx is not invalid, as an exercise. Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Hunter Biden had resisted testifying behind closed doors, calling the House's first subpoena invalid and offering a public hearing instead. Harold Maass, The Week Us, theweek, 19 Jan. 2024 Because of these allegations, Utahns suing have asked the US district court in Utah to declare the social media law invalid and block its enforcement. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 17 Jan. 2024
Noun
Concern grew that the fabulous invalid, as the theater has long been dubbed, might be down for the count. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023 As these invalids made their way to Portsmouth, nearly half slipped away, including one who hobbled off on a wooden leg. David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 Five hundred invalids from the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, many in their 60s and 70s, were ordered to fill out the ranks. Mary Ann Gwinn, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2023 In 1944, Marta’s parents, Rudolf Beck, aged seventy, and Regina, a chronic invalid at sixty-nine, died at Auschwitz. Andrew O’Hagan, The New York Review of Books, 13 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'invalid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Latin invalidus weak, from in- + validus strong — more at valid

Adjective (2)

Latin & French; French invalide, from Latin invalidus

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1542, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1701, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective (2)

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of invalid was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near invalid

Cite this Entry

“Invalid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invalid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

invalid

1 of 4 adjective
in·​val·​id (ˈ)in-ˈval-əd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
: having no force or effect : not valid
an invalid parking sticker
an invalid assumption
invalidity
ˌin-və-ˈlid-ət-ē
noun
invalidly adverb

invalid

2 of 4 adjective
in·​va·​lid ˈin-və-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
1
: suffering from disease or disability : sickly
2
: of, relating to, or suited to an invalid

invalid

3 of 4 noun
like 2
 How to pronounce invalid (audio)
: one who is sickly or disabled

invalid

4 of 4 verb
in·​va·​lid ˈin-və-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
-ˌlid
: to make sickly or disabled
Etymology

Adjective

from earlier invalid "not having a sound basis in fact or reason, not valid," from Latin invalidus "weak"

Adjective

from French invalide "suffering from a disease, sickly," from Latin invalidus "weak"

Medical Definition

invalid

1 of 3 adjective
in·​va·​lid
ˈin-və-ləd, British usually -ˌlēd
1
: affected by disease or disability : sickly
2
: of, relating to, or suited to one that is sick
an invalid chair

invalid

2 of 3 noun
: one who is sickly or disabled

invalid

3 of 3 transitive verb
in·​va·​lid
ˈin-və-ləd, -ˌlid, British usually -ˌlēd or ˌin-və-ˈlēd
1
: to remove from active duty by reason of sickness or disability
was invalided out of the army
2
: to make sickly or disabled
a patient invalided by valvular disease

Legal Definition

invalid

adjective
in·​val·​id in-ˈva-ləd How to pronounce invalid (audio)
: being without force or effect under the law
declared the will invalid
invalidly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on invalid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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