ratification

noun

rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion ˌra-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce ratification (audio)
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
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.
In 1787, right after the ratification of the Constitution, the U.S. government charted the Bank of the United States. Time, 23 May 2025 The ratification passed with 338 votes in favor, far surpassing the 226 needed. Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 With the ratification concluded, two more technical agreements will have to be developed and signed by both sides, said Svyrydenko. Illia Novikov, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025 Legal scholars warn that revoking birthright citizenship would likely require a constitutional amendment, an arduous process involving approval by two-thirds of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ratification

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ratification was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ratification.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratification. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

ratification

noun
rat·​i·​fi·​ca·​tion
ˌrat-ə-fə-ˈkā-shən
: the action of ratifying

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