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

If approved, the agreement will be sent out for ratification, and the details will be made public. —Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC news, 11 June 2025

If approved, it will be sent to membership for ratification. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 11 June 2025

The national board of directors of the union will meet on Thursday to go over the agreement and if it is cleared it will be sent out to its members for ratification. —Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025

In 1967, a series of U.S. events led to the ratification of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution spelling out how a vice president can take over for a president who is unable to perform official duties. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 30 May 2025

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