invalidate
Americanverb
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to render weak or ineffective, as an argument
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to take away the legal force or effectiveness of; annul, as a contract
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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invalidatesimple
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invalidatessimple
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have invalidatedperfect
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has invalidatedperfect
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am invalidatingprogressive
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are invalidatingprogressive
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is invalidatingprogressive
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have been invalidatingperfect progressive
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has been invalidatingperfect progressive
Past
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invalidatedsimple
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had invalidatedperfect
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was invalidatingprogressive
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were invalidatingprogressive
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had been invalidatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of invalidate
Explanation
If administrators find out that students cheated on a test, the school might invalidate their class grades. To invalidate means to cancel something or make it void, as if it never happened. In invalidate you see the word valid which means true or correct. When you invalidate something you are making it less true, less official, or less correct. If you buy something that doesn't work properly and then try to fix it yourself, you invalidate the warranty. If you have a wacky theory that cars grow from trees, your teacher might invalidate your theory by taking you on a tour of an auto factory.
Vocabulary lists containing invalidate
Red Scarf Girl
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 2
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Far from the Tree
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The complaint also seeks to invalidate the policy and have books returned to shelves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
That’s not accurate, and the court ruled to invalidate the measure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Markets evolve quickly, and subsequent price action can strengthen, invalidate, or reshape even well-reasoned calls.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
At that time, Infantino suggested such a move could invalidate a country's World Cup hosting rights.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
In general, I felt as if I couldn’t win, that no amount of faith or hard work would push me past my detractors and their attempts to invalidate me.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
The stop is quite clear with any close below the 200-day simple moving average at $245 invalidates the bullish thesis.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
“Telling someone to look on the bright side or saying, ‘At least you have this,’ invalidates people’s grieving process, and people need to grieve,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2025
The 39-page ruling invalidates the Payday Lending Rule, which became effective in 2018.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 19, 2022
It invalidates my hard work for a lot of people.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2022
The consequence is an ethical neutrality which invalidates the moral will.
From The Approach to Philosophy by Ralph Barton Perry
In 2018 the Supreme Court invalidated the federal ban on sports betting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
However, in each case, subtle errors were found that invalidated the arguments.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
Yet in 2024, the 5th Circuit once again invalidated the law, holding that it still gave the Horseracing Authority too much discretion over enforcement.
From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2026
“We have found no actions that require reconsideration or that are invalidated as a result of these developments.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Supreme Court finally invalidated them in Lawrence v.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
After oral arguments in the spring, the three judges issued a complex decision affirming Carter’s finding of discrimination but overruling his order invalidating UCLA’s lease for its baseball stadium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
One repeated concern regarded how to avoid invalidating an entire batch of ballots if one voter among thousands couldn’t be confirmed as eligible.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
In a worst-case scenario, they could auction it off in a tax-foreclosure sale to recover the back taxes, thereby invalidating the life estate.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The Royal College of Psychiatrists also warned against "invalidating the condition".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Thomas winced; Frypan had gone too far with that recommendation, almost invalidating his well-stated opinion of the whole mess.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
