WordValeinvalidate
to prove wrong or worthless
In more detail
1. (verb) to make something no longer valid or legally acceptable
2. (verb) to prove that something is wrong or not true
Examples
- 1. The contract was invalidated because it was not signed properly.
- 2. The new evidence invalidated their original theory about what happened.
How to use invalidate
Invalidate is used in formal or technical contexts to mean either removing legal or official status from something, or demonstrating that something is false or flawed. It is more formal and authoritative than synonyms like 'refute' or 'undermine', and often appears in legal, scientific, or academic writing where conclusions or documents need to be declared no longer valid or binding.
Common phrases
- invalidate a contract
- invalidate a claim
- invalidate an argument
- invalidate the findings
- legally invalidated
Synonyms
nullify · void · undermine · debunk · refute
Opposites
validate · confirm · corroborate
Word family
invalid (adjective) · invalidity (noun) · invalidation (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse invalidate with the adjective 'invalid' (meaning sickly or not legally binding), or incorrectly use it as a transitive verb without a clear object—always specify what is being invalidated.
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