valid effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "valid effort" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an attempt or endeavor that is reasonable, acceptable, or worthy of consideration. Example: "Although the project did not succeed, it was a valid effort that demonstrated the team's commitment to innovation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Deported to Trinidad Despite Ruling An unwarranted judicial reach, or a valid effort to close a legal breach?

The New York Times

I really feel that he's making a valid effort and trying to be aggressive and trying to bang some of the bigger guys".

The New York Times - Sports

The law's defenders describe it as a common-sense and constitutionally valid effort to fix demonstrated problems and plug the gaping holes in the Watergate-era law of which the new statute is technically an amendment.

The New York Times

"We're going to have to be one of the top three teams on defense, coming out, giving a valid effort every night on that end, to be something this year," Garnett said.

The New York Times - Sports

A federal appeals court in San Francisco heard arguments on Wednesday over whether a California law banning gay "conversion therapy" for minors is an unjustified infringement on free speech or a valid effort to prevent therapeutic malpractice.

The New York Times

But once you start gathering data, recording the dates, toggling the conditions back and forth while keeping careful records of the outcome, you gain a tremendous advantage over the normal human practice of making no valid effort whatsoever.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Roberts had an early try ruled out before producing a valid solo effort and then skipper Shenton wrong-footed the Giants defence to score - and with two successful Gale conversions, the gap was down to two points.

BBC

Currently, there is only one valid fundraising effort for Ramsey Orta.

Huffington Post

The American author Robert Jay Lifton notes that Mengele's published works did not deviate much from the scientific mainstream of the time, and would probably have been viewed as valid scientific efforts even outside the borders of Nazi Germany.

Wikipedia

However together, these works provide a glimpse as to the heterogeneity in methodologies that have been taken, and while each approach is certainly valid, modest efforts have been made to synthesize across approaches to ascertain what commonalities exist and where enhancements in comparisons can be made among approaches.

Plosone

The highest of three valid consecutive efforts after a minimum of three practice attempts, was recorded as PEmax and PImax.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "valid effort" when you want to convey that an attempt or action is reasonable, legitimate, and based on sound reasoning or principles. For example, in project management, it signifies that the team's activities align with project goals.

Common error

Avoid using "valid effort" when a stronger term like "successful endeavor" or "groundbreaking achievement" is more appropriate. "Valid effort" is suitable when acknowledging the legitimacy of an attempt, but it might not fully capture the impact of highly successful outcomes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "valid effort" functions as a noun phrase where "valid" modifies the noun "effort". It serves to describe an attempt or undertaking that is considered sound, reasonable, or justifiable. Ludwig examples show its use in various contexts, indicating its acceptance across different domains.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "valid effort" is a phrase used to describe an attempt or undertaking that is reasonable, legitimate, and based on sound principles. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in various contexts, although it is not extremely common. It appears most frequently in News & Media and Science sources. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended meaning of acknowledging the soundness of an attempt, rather than necessarily guaranteeing success. Consider alternatives like "legitimate attempt" or "worthwhile attempt" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

legitimate attempt

Replaces 'effort' with 'attempt', emphasizing the action of trying while maintaining the sense of legitimacy.

justifiable endeavor

Substitutes 'valid' with 'justifiable' and 'effort' with 'endeavor', highlighting the defensible nature of the undertaking.

worthwhile attempt

Emphasizes the value and benefit derived from the attempt, replacing 'valid' with 'worthwhile'.

reasonable undertaking

Focuses on the rationality and feasibility of the endeavor, using 'reasonable' instead of 'valid' and 'undertaking' instead of 'effort'.

bona fide attempt

Highlights the sincerity and genuineness of the attempt, replacing 'valid' with 'bona fide'.

genuine endeavor

Stresses the authenticity and sincerity of the effort, using 'genuine' in place of 'valid'.

sound undertaking

Indicates that the undertaking is well-founded and reliable, substituting 'valid' with 'sound'.

acceptable attempt

Focuses on the permissibility and satisfactory nature of the attempt, replacing 'valid' with 'acceptable'.

defensible action

Emphasizes that the action taken can be justified and defended, using 'defensible' instead of 'valid' and 'action' instead of 'effort'.

justified action

Replaces both words to show the action has a fair reason to happen.

FAQs

How can I use "valid effort" in a sentence?

You can use "valid effort" to describe an attempt or endeavor that is reasonable and acceptable. For example: "Although the experiment failed, it was a "valid effort" to explore new possibilities".

What are some alternatives to "valid effort"?

Alternatives include "legitimate attempt", "justifiable endeavor", or "worthwhile attempt", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "valid effort" and "successful effort"?

"Valid effort" implies that the attempt was reasonable and well-founded, regardless of the outcome. "Successful effort", on the other hand, indicates that the attempt achieved its intended goal. A "valid effort" might not always be a "successful effort".

When is it more appropriate to use "legitimate effort" instead of "valid effort"?

"Legitimate effort" emphasizes the lawfulness or permissibility of the attempt, while "valid effort" focuses on its reasonableness and soundness. Use "legitimate effort" when the legality or authorization of the attempt is the key aspect.