ratify
verb
rat·i·fy
ˈra-tə-ˌfī 
ratified; ratifying
: to approve and sanction formally : confirm
ratify a treaty
Examples of ratify in a Sentence
A number of countries have refused to ratify the treaty.
Lincoln's home state of Illinois was the first to ratify the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provided for the abolition of slavery.
Recent Examples on the Web
After a year of negotiations, the faculty, represented by United Academics of Maryland (UAMD), voted by 90% to ratify a contract on Wednesday, June 10.
—
Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Some countries have ratified the International Labour Organization’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, agreed in 1989, which contains this principle.
—Buket Altınçelep, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
The alliance of unions ratified their new contracts in March, putting an end to months of bargaining, accusations of bad faith and work stoppages.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
So the Fourteenth Amendment is ratified in summer of 1868 with the votes of the free states, not all the states.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ratify
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Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Some countries have ratified the International Labour Organization’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, agreed in 1989, which contains this principle.
—Buket Altınçelep, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
The alliance of unions ratified their new contracts in March, putting an end to months of bargaining, accusations of bad faith and work stoppages.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
So the Fourteenth Amendment is ratified in summer of 1868 with the votes of the free states, not all the states.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ratify
Cite this Entry
“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ratify
verb
rat·i·fy
ˈrat-ə-ˌfī
ratified; ratifying
: to give legal or official approval to
ratify a treaty
Legal Definition
ratify
transitive verb
rat·i·fy
ˈra-tə-ˌfī
ratified; ratifying
: to make valid or effective
especially
: to adopt or affirm (as the prior act or contract of an agent) by express or implied consent with the effect of original authorization
unable to rescind the contract because he ratified it by accepting the benefits
compare reform
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