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
That Iraq border was not officially ratified by treaty until 1974.
—
Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
That would have been on top of a 15% tariff specified by a trade agreement with the European Union that has yet to be ratified.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Ku Klux Klan Act The Civil War-era KKK Act passed in 1871 to further protect the rights listed in the Fourteenth Amendment, which had been ratified three years earlier.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
That would have been on top of a 15% tariff specified by a trade agreement with the European Union that has yet to be ratified.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ratify
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
That would have been on top of a 15% tariff specified by a trade agreement with the European Union that has yet to be ratified.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Ku Klux Klan Act The Civil War-era KKK Act passed in 1871 to further protect the rights listed in the Fourteenth Amendment, which had been ratified three years earlier.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
That would have been on top of a 15% tariff specified by a trade agreement with the European Union that has yet to be ratified.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
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 Jan. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
