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
Montefiore and Mount Sinai nurses ratify new contract Nurses from two major hospital systems voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new three-year contract.
—
Christina Fan, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The agreement will be sent to the airline’s flight attendants, who will vote on whether to ratify the contract.
—Jordan Parker
aviation, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Rumblings about another lockout began almost immediately after the current CBA was ratified, after the owners locked out the players for 99 days, during the 2021-22 offseason.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Free agency talks are allowed to start March 9 and contracts can be ratified as soon as March 11, including trades.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ratify
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Christina Fan, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
The agreement will be sent to the airline’s flight attendants, who will vote on whether to ratify the contract.
—Jordan Parker
aviation, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Rumblings about another lockout began almost immediately after the current CBA was ratified, after the owners locked out the players for 99 days, during the 2021-22 offseason.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Free agency talks are allowed to start March 9 and contracts can be ratified as soon as March 11, including trades.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 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 Feb. 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
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