WordGarden.ioinvalidity
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪnvælˈɪdɪti/
US
- /ɪnvəlˈɪdɪti/
Meanings
Noun
the state of having no legal force or effect
the state of being unsound, unsupported, or not valid
a state of illness, weakness, or incapacity
Beyond the definition
Imagine a ticket to a concert: if it is fake, damaged, or for the wrong date, it has no force and cannot be accepted. That is one clear sense of invalidity. The word can refer to the state of something being not legally or officially valid, such as a contract, claim, or document that does not hold up.
It can also refer to a physical or mental condition that makes a person unable to work, especially in older, legal, or benefits-related use. Think of someone applying for disability payments; in that setting, invalidity refers to the condition that supports the claim.
Invalidity describes the state of not being valid, legally acceptable, or effective. In many cases, it points to a serious flaw that means something cannot be accepted, enforced, or relied on.
One common use is in legal or formal settings. A contract, will, claim, or decision may be described in terms of invalidity if there is some defect that makes it fail. For example, a will may be challenged because of its invalidity if it was not signed or witnessed in the proper way.
Another important use is about health, especially in older usage or in official systems such as insurance, pensions, or disability benefits. In that sense, invalidity means a physical or mental condition that stops someone from working or seriously limits daily activity. A person may receive support because of invalidity, meaning because of that disabling condition.
You may also see the word used more generally for the lack of truth, force, or acceptance in an argument or claim, though this is less common than the legal and health-related senses.
So, whether it refers to a flawed legal document or to a disabling condition recognized by an official system, invalidity carries the idea that something does not stand as fully valid or fully able.
Examples
- 1
Contract law
The court confirmed the invalidity of the contract because one party had been forced to sign it.
- 2
Patent dispute
The company argued that the patent's invalidity meant it could not be enforced.
- 3
Election challenge
The candidate asked for a declaration of invalidity after several voting forms were counted twice.
- Phrasea declaration of invalidity
an official statement that something cannot stand
See also
Similar
- nullity
- invalidness
Shades of meaning
- voidness
- unenforceability
Contrast
- validity
- enforceability
Used with (collocations)
- legal invalidity
- constitutional invalidity
- grounds for invalidity
- declaration of invalidity
Word family
Explore
- legal defect
- illegality
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- invaliditynoun
Forms
- invaliditiespluralnoun