Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 21, 2025 is validate. To validate means to show something is real or correct. It can also mean to make something legal or official. Another usage is to mark something to show it has been checked and accepted. Furthermore, validate signifies showing that someone's feelings or opinions are reasonable. The company's product claims await validation to prove their correctness. A museum ticket validation grants discounted parking. Declining sales validated concerns about menu changes. Historically, validate meant making something legally binding, derived from the adjective valid. Today, it is also used in informal contexts, such as a successful player validating a coach's decision.