validvsvoidWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“valid” and “void” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#3,792
“valid” frequency rank
#7,082
“void” frequency rank
10874
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature valid void
Definition Well-grounded or justifiable, pertinent. Containing nothing; empty; not occupied or filled.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set valid and void apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
valid
4 ch
void

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

valid and void form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 10874, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

valid is recorded at frequency rank #3,792, classified as anadj, pronounced /ˈvælɪd/. void is at rank #7,082, tagged as anadj, pronounced /vɔɪd/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 10874, this pair ranks #490,069 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

valid#3,792
void#7,082

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "valid" and "void" be used interchangeably?
No, "valid" and "void" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering valid vs void

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “valid” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list