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:
"They hate me. But they cannot invalidate the information I give."
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
Markets evolve quickly, and subsequent price action can strengthen, invalidate, or reshape even well-reasoned calls.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
If the defendant does so, the SEC can invalidate any settlement and reopen the case.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
Rabo itself is suing some investors and seeking to invalidate claims asserted by the bankruptcy trustee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
The half-broken mini blind that would surely invalidate their deposit if they ever moved out.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
“The IRS deemed that if you participate in one of these it invalidates your ability to contribute to an HSA. That restriction has been removed,” Robertson says.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2025
“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
He would thus be the “Petrus Civis Romanus” whose name is inscribed on the shrine; but a comparison of dates invalidates this surmise.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various
However, in each case, subtle errors were found that invalidated the arguments.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
But in 2024, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge invalidated the law, ruling that the state, not the city, has jurisdiction over petroleum production.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
However, this structure was invalidated following the break of the short-term uptrend line earlier this week.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
A trade court judge said the government confirmed it is on track to start processing claims for refunds of Trump’s tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
The ruling invalidated Walter’s conviction and death sentence.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Lifting the "do not travel" advice means that people travelling to the UAE will no longer risk invalidating their travel insurance.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
“For example, they may be trying to find a middle ground, perhaps invalidating the tariffs but limiting refunds to ‘prospective relief’ only, not to past tariffs collected.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 14, 2026
It overruled the judge’s order invalidating UCLA’s lease of a portion of the VA grounds for its baseball stadium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
A Norwegian appeals court on Friday upheld a lower court's ruling invalidating three oil permits in the major crude producer for insufficient environmental-impact studies, in a new victory for climate campaigners.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2025
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.
