adjective

valid

/ˈvælɪd/ · say it: VAL·id

logically sound and well-founded

In Debate & Persuasion

In more detail

1. (adjective) legally or officially acceptable and allowed

2. (adjective) based on good reasons or facts; reasonable and correct

Examples

1. You need a valid passport to travel internationally.
2. That's a valid point—I hadn't considered it that way.

How to use valid

Valid is used in both legal/official contexts (a valid passport) and logical/intellectual contexts (a valid argument). It suggests something meets required standards or withstands scrutiny. In informal speech, it can mean 'cool' or 'acceptable' (slang), but this should be avoided in academic or formal writing.

Common phrases

valid reason
valid point
valid claim
valid argument
valid license
remain valid

Synonyms

legitimate · lawful · authorized · sound · well-founded

Opposites

invalid · illegitimate · baseless

Word family

validity (noun) · validly (adverb) · validate (verb) · validation (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse valid with valuable; valid means acceptable or legitimate, while valuable means worth money or importance.

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