plural treaties
1
a
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation:
(1)
: a contract in writing between two or more political authorities (such as states or sovereigns) formally signed by representatives duly authorized and usually ratified by the lawmaking authority of the state
(2)
b
: a document in which such a contract is set down
2
: the action of treating and especially of negotiating
Examples of treaty in a Sentence
a nuclear test ban treaty
in accordance with a treaty between the United States and the tribes of the Pacific Northwest, commercial fishing of certain kinds of salmon is limited to Native Americans
Recent Examples on the Web
The problem raised by cases like Guerin, however, was how to win in the absence of a treaty violation.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Spearfishing is part of a long continuum of cultural knowledge, identity and the expression of treaty rights.
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
The draft report comes just months before the expiration of the New START treaty between the US and Russia.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
The findings come as the 2010 New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, approaches expiration.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for treaty
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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David Frum, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Spearfishing is part of a long continuum of cultural knowledge, identity and the expression of treaty rights.
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 26 Dec. 2025
The draft report comes just months before the expiration of the New START treaty between the US and Russia.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
The findings come as the 2010 New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, approaches expiration.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for treaty
Cite this Entry
“Treaty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treaty. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
treaty
noun
trea·ty
ˈtrēt-ē 
plural treaties
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation
especially
: one between two or more states or rulers
Legal Definition
treaty
noun
trea·ty
plural treaties
1
: the action of treating and especially of negotiating
2
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation: as
a
b
: a contract in writing between two or more political authorities (as states or sovereigns) formally signed by representatives duly authorized and usually ratified by the lawmaking authority of the state
the President…shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties—U.S. Constitution art. II
compare executive agreement
U.S. Constitution art. II3
: a document embodying a negotiated agreement or contract
4
: an agreement or contract (as between companies) providing for treaty reinsurance
Etymology
Anglo-French treté, from Middle French traité, from Medieval Latin tractatus, from Latin, handling, treatment, from tractare to treat, handle
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