ratify
verb
rat·i·fy
ˈra-tə-ˌfī 
ratified; ratifying
: to approve and sanction formally : confirm
ratify a treaty
Synonyms
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
To make matters worse, Iran is one of the few remaining nations that have signed but not ratified the Paris Agreement—a landmark deal aimed at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
—
Sanam Mahoozi, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
With the Bill of Rights now attached to the Constitution, North Carolina ratified the document and became the 12th state.
—The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
The 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote, had only been ratified two years earlier, and Georgia was the first state to oppose it.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
On Tuesday, North Korean state media said Pyongyang had ratified a mutual defence treaty with Russia signed in June by the two countries' leaders, providing for each to come to the other's aid in case of an armed attack.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
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Sanam Mahoozi, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
With the Bill of Rights now attached to the Constitution, North Carolina ratified the document and became the 12th state.
—The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
The 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote, had only been ratified two years earlier, and Georgia was the first state to oppose it.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
On Tuesday, North Korean state media said Pyongyang had ratified a mutual defence treaty with Russia signed in June by the two countries' leaders, providing for each to come to the other's aid in case of an armed attack.
—Reuters, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ratify
Dictionary Entries Near ratify
Cite this Entry
“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
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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