ratification

noun

rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌra-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce ratification (audio)
plural ratifications
Synonyms of ratificationnext
: the act or process of ratifying something (such as a treaty or amendment) : formal confirmation or sanction
… the ratification of the 13th Amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States.Suzanne Travers
A treaty would require two-thirds approval in the Senate for ratification.Lois Ember
More than 100 countries signed the Rome Treaty, and it is expected that the court will come into existence within the next year or two, when it receives the necessary sixty treaty ratifications.Richard Falk

Examples of ratification in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Roberts’s point is well taken, and the debates surrounding the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment do not support the Administration’s expansive interpretation. Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026 Those amendments still require ratification by 38 states— so there’s no risk of a runaway rewrite of the founding document. Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 Unions representing more than 4,000 Kaiser Permanente pharmacy workers, lab technicians and other workers across Southern and Central California announced the ratification of a new four-year contract Saturday, ending a dispute that included a three-day strike earlier this year. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026 The unions representing over 4,000 Kaiser Permanente pharmacy workers, lab technicians and other workers across Southern and Central California announced the ratification of a new four-year contract today, ending a dispute that included a three-day strike earlier this year. City News Service, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ratification

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ratification was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ratification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratification. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

ratification

noun
rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion
ˌrat-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən
: the action of ratifying

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