ratification

noun

rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌra-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

plural ratifications

: 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

The tentative agreement will go to the union’s members for a ratification vote before it can be finalized. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026

Teachers will vote on the ratification of the contract after spring break, according to the union. —Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Indonesia has halted ratification of its deal, and key garment-producing countries—including Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand—are now reconsidering their commitments. —Tara Winter, Sourcing Journal, 24 Mar. 2026

It has not been ratified, however, due to the passage of time limits and some states' attempts to rescind their earlier ratification. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ratification

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

ratification

noun

rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion

ˌrat-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən

: the action of ratifying