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

Professional services consultancy Deloitte has access to the voting data to ensure the validity and fairness of the process. — Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026

Several of the field’s top scientists described marketing by IFG and other clinics selling the technology to patients of advanced maternal age — 35 and older — as misleading and questioned the validity of their claims. — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026

Beatty amended her suit to stop the closure and requested information to evaluate the validity of the decision. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

The union’s highest-profile victory against The Wonderful Company, one of the world’s largest agricultural businesses, sparked a years-long legal fight over the validity of the card check law. — Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026

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