Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Legally acceptable or binding: Having legal force or authority; meeting the requirements of the law.
   • Well-grounded in logic or truth: Based on sound reasoning or evidence; logically correct.

Usage

• Legal/Formal Context: Used to describe documents, agreements, or claims that are officially acceptable and in effect.
• Logical/Argumentative Context: Used to describe reasoning, arguments, or inferences that are logically sound and correctly derived from premises.

Examples

• Legal/Formal:
  • Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your date of entry.
  • The contract is valid until the end of the year.
  • This ticket is no longer valid for travel.
• Logical/Argumentative:
  • That is a valid point; we should consider it.
  • The scientist presented a valid hypothesis based on the initial data.
  • Your criticism is valid, but it doesn't address the main issue.

Advanced Usage

• "Valid reason": A reason that is sound, acceptable, and sufficient.
  • She had a valid reason for being late.
• "Remain valid": To continue to be acceptable or in force.
  • The offer will remain valid until Friday.
• "Make valid" / "Render valid": To cause something to become officially acceptable.
  • Signing the document will render it valid.

Variants and Related Words

• Validate (verb): To make or declare something legally or officially acceptable; to check or prove the validity of something.
  • The system will validate your login credentials.
• Validity (noun): The quality of being logically or factually sound; the state of being legally acceptable.
  • The validity of his argument was questioned.
• Invalid (adjective): The opposite of valid; not legally acceptable or logically sound.
  • An expired license is invalid.

Synonyms

• Legitimate: Conforming to the law or to rules; valid in a legal sense.
• Sound: Based on valid reasoning or evidence.
• Cogent: (Of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
• Binding: (Of an agreement) involving an obligation that cannot be broken; legally valid.

Antonyms

• Invalid: Not legally or officially acceptable; not true or correct.
• Void: Not valid or legally binding.
• Illegitimate: Not authorized by the law; not in accordance with accepted standards.
• Fallacious: Based on a mistaken belief; unsound.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "Stand up": (Of an argument, claim, etc.) to remain valid after close scrutiny. (Note: This is a related concept, not a phrasal verb with "valid").
  • His alibi did not stand up in court.
• "Hold water": (Informal) to be sound, logical, or valid.
  • Her explanation doesn't hold water.

Adjective

1. still legally acceptable
   • the license is still valid
2. well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force
   • a valid inference
   • a valid argument
   • a valid contract