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
Palestine ratified the treaty in 2015, meaning any crimes committed in Palestinian territories could be party to ICC jurisdiction.
—
Meredith Kile, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025
His last extension wasn’t ratified until Aug. 13, 2020.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The corruption attendant to tariff legislation became so brazen and shameless that, in 1913 voters ratified the 16th Amendment granting the federal government powers to tax personal incomes in exchange for lowering tariffs.
— Made By History, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
The amendment was ratified in 1951, in the wake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four terms in office.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratify
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Meredith Kile, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025
His last extension wasn’t ratified until Aug. 13, 2020.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The corruption attendant to tariff legislation became so brazen and shameless that, in 1913 voters ratified the 16th Amendment granting the federal government powers to tax personal incomes in exchange for lowering tariffs.
— Made By History, Time, 28 Apr. 2025
The amendment was ratified in 1951, in the wake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s four terms in office.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ratify
Cite this Entry
“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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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