ratify

verb

rat·​i·​fy ˈra-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce ratify (audio)
ratified; ratifying

transitive verb

: to approve and sanction formally : confirm
ratify a treaty
ratifier noun

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 And just to be able to finally ratify that treaty and be able to say, this is our home. Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 16 Aug. 2024 The 61-member unit of Crooked Media, which produces podcasts including Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It, ratified the agreement after more than a year of negotiations and a one-day walkout on Aug. 5. Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2024 The content creators of Crooked Media officially have themselves a deal after the 61-member bargaining unit unanimously agreed to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement since unionizing under the Writers Guild of America East. Katie Campione, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2024 Those reforms entailed imposing term limits for justices, requiring them to comply with binding ethics rules and ratifying a constitutional amendment that would limit presidential immunity. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ratify 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ratify.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ratifien, from Anglo-French ratifier, from Medieval Latin ratificare, from Latin ratus determined, from past participle of reri to calculate — more at reason entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ratify was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ratify

Cite this Entry

“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

ratify

verb
rat·​i·​fy ˈrat-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce ratify (audio)
ratified; ratifying
: to give legal or official approval to
ratify a treaty

Legal Definition

ratify

transitive verb
rat·​i·​fy ˈra-tə-ˌfī How to pronounce ratify (audio)
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
ratification noun
ratifier noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ratify

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