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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Under international law, signatory countries are expected to comply with treaty objectives even before ratification. Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland would require permission to join the international organization from its Council of Ministers and ratification by its lower chamber of the legislature. Mariam Khan, ABC News, 19 Jan. 2026 The treaty has been signed by 145 countries, and following the ratification by 60 countries in September 2025, the process of becoming law began. Veronika Meduna, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 America’s ratification that year broke a logjam of inaction by nations that had signed the agreement but were wary about actually ratifying it as a legal document. Gary W. Yohe, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 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 24 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

ratification

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

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