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
Israel's Netanyahu to visit Hungary, defying International Criminal Court arrest warrant
Hungary signed the ICC's founding document in 1999 and ratified it in 2001, but the law has not been promulgated.
—
Reuters, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Tariffs made up around 50% of revenue for much of the late 1800s and early 1900s, including during the McKinley administration, until the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, gave the federal government power to collect income tax.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Most recently, Nevada ratified the ERA on March 21, 2017.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
Other council members were reluctant to discuss Platt’s future after voting unanimously to ratify the suspension with no end date specified.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratify
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Reuters, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Tariffs made up around 50% of revenue for much of the late 1800s and early 1900s, including during the McKinley administration, until the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1913, gave the federal government power to collect income tax.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
Most recently, Nevada ratified the ERA on March 21, 2017.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
Other council members were reluctant to discuss Platt’s future after voting unanimously to ratify the suspension with no end date specified.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratify
Cite this Entry
“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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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