Validate
verb /ˈvælɪdeɪt/ — To confirm that something is real, correct, or genuinely felt.
Definition
To recognise or affirm the worth, validity, or truth of something — often used about feelings or ideas.
Beyond the definition
Validate is everywhere in modern emotional and professional life. To validate someone's experience means to confirm that what they feel is real and understandable, not imagined or overblown. People deeply need to be validated — to have their experience seen.
Origin & history
From Latin validus — strong, from valere 'to be strong, be worth'. To confirm something has sufficient strength or worth.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She didn't need him to agree — she just needed him to validate that her feelings made sense.
The research validated what practitioners had observed for years.
'I can see why you feel that way' is validation. 'You shouldn't feel like that' is the opposite.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Validate” when the meaning fits your context: To recognise or affirm the worth, validity, or truth of something — often used about feelings or ideas.
Synonyms
confirm, affirm, verify, recognise, support
Antonyms
dismiss, deny, invalidate, undermine
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Smile of Witty Exchange
A close-up of an adult’s face shows a subtle, small smile as they deliver a clever, dry joke that surprises the listener.
The listener's small smile serves to validate the speaker's witty remark. By acknowledging the cleverness and success of the joke, the listener affirms the worth of the speaker's intelligence, showing that the idea or humor has been recognized as truthful and effective.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Validate" mean?
Validate is verb meaning: To confirm that something is real, correct, or genuinely felt.. To recognise or affirm the worth, validity, or truth of something — often used about feelings or ideas.
Where does the word "Validate" come from?
From Latin validus — strong, from valere 'to be strong, be worth'. To confirm something has sufficient strength or worth.