validity

noun

va·​lid·​i·​ty və-ˈli-də-tē 

va-

: the quality or state of being valid: such as

a

: the state of being acceptable according to the law

The validity of the contract is being questioned.

What the federal courts have ruled … is that renunciations made behind barbed wire were essentially under duress, and thus of no legal validity.

—Roger Daniels

b

: the quality of being well-grounded, sound, or correct

the validity of an argument/theory

Other researchers have questioned the validity of the test results.

Later he acknowledged that there was no validity to his report.

—David Hiltbrand

Examples of validity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Police the validity of Li’s license is currently under investigation by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2025

There doesn’t appear to be much of a dispute about the validity of the tests finding. —Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025

Such revisions have historically been controversial, and are usually linked to major scientific reviews of their validity. —Anna Kirkland, The Conversation, 15 Aug. 2025

Maryland’s growing relationship with Blueprint comes at a critical time — just after a former men’s basketball player settled a mediation case against it and as the future and validity of collectives are put into question. —Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for validity

• acidity
• aridity
• avidity
• cupidity
• fluidity
• humidity
• liquidity
• lucidity
• morbidity
• placidity
• rancidity
• rapidity

Kids Definition

validity

noun

va·​lid·​i·​ty

və-ˈlid-ət-ē,

va-

: the quality or state of being valid