validate
VAL-ih-dayt
/ˈvælɪdeɪt/
To check or prove the validity or accuracy of something; to make someone feel valued and understood.
Validate can refer to objective data (proving a theory correct) or emotional support (confirming that someone's feelings are natural and acceptable).
The story behind the word. Validate comes from the Latin 'valere', meaning 'to be strong' or 'to have worth'. When you validate a theory, a ticket, or a person's feelings, you are literally 'making them strong' or giving them official weight and power.
Word relationships
- confirm: Confirm is general, while validate often implies a structured process of checking against a standard.
- corroborate: Corroborate means to support with evidence, while validate means to officially declare something as true or legally sound.
- invalidate: Invalidate means to make something weak, untrue, or legally void, the direct opposite of validate.
- disprove: Disprove is to show that something is false using evidence.
Commonly confused with
- value: Value is to estimate the worth of something, while validate is to prove its accuracy or legitimacy.
Word family
- validation (noun): The action of checking or proving the validity of something.
- validity (noun): The quality of being logically or factually sound.
Collocations
- validate a theory
- validate feelings
- validate parking
Example sentences
- "The researchers designed a double-blind study to validate the initial clinical trial results." A scientific context where data confirms a hypothesis.
- "A good therapist will validate your feelings of grief rather than telling you to move on." A psychological context where someone's emotions are supported.
Memory hook
Think of a 'valid' passport. It has the 'strength' (valere) to let you travel across borders. Validate = Make strong and true.
When not to use
Do not use validate when you simply mean 'to like' or 'to agree with' a casual opinion.
Fun facts
- The words 'valiant' (brave/strong) and 'value' share the exact same root as 'validate'.
Explore more words
verify, corroborate, vindicate, uphold, substantiate, validity
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.