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Usage situation: Joan submits a document to an office. The office validates the document; if it is not valid, they return it to her. Joan sees the error, makes it valid, and resubmits it.

I'm looking for a word that means "to make valid".

Any ideas?

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3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

In what context will you use it? Word choice may vary depending upon context.

 Validate =  make valid 
 Formalize = declare or make legally valid

In the sense of "correction" the verb validate can not be used. Instead I would suggest using the verbs "correct", "revise","fix".

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I was under the impression that validate meant "to check the validity of". If it does mean "make valid", it's perfect! Thank you :) – Deco Jan 13 '12 at 14:02
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In the sense you mention revise or correct (the document) seems better – Mustafa Jan 13 '12 at 14:04
Here is the intended usage: "The method will validate the data by removing expressions not in the schema." – Deco Jan 13 '12 at 14:05
2  
validate : make valid or confirm the validity of; "validate a ticket Synınyms: alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" – Mustafa Jan 13 '12 at 14:07
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-1 This answer is misleading. That "make valid" definition for validate doesn't mean to correct something that was previously invalid, thereby making it valid. It means to confer validity, in the sense of ratifying something, or proving its validity. I do not think there is any context where validate can have the meaning apply corrections, thereby making something valid. – FumbleFingers Jan 14 '12 at 0:22
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up vote 12 down vote

"To correct" is to fix an error.

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This should be the accepted answer. – Mark Beadles Jan 14 '12 at 17:00
up vote -1 down vote

revalidate
tr.v. re·val·i·dat·ed, re·val·i·dat·ing, re·val·i·dates
To declare valid again.

To "make it valid, and resubmit it", would be to revalidate it.

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Per the comments against @mustafa's misleading answer, OP is looking for a word to describe what Joan does (correct the error). It's the office that revalidates (performs the validation again). – FumbleFingers Jan 14 '12 at 14:40

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