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ratify
verb
rat·i·fy
ˈra-tə-ˌfī
ratified; ratifying
: to approve and sanction formally : confirm
ratify a treaty
Synonyms
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
Legislation will be introduced in the Australian Parliament this year, with the laws coming into effect 12 months after being ratified by lawmakers, Albanese said.
—Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Whether the contract is ratified carries incredibly high stakes for Boeing.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 4 Nov. 2024
But nothing has been passed by Congress and sent to the States to be ratified as a Constitutional amendment.
—Doug Melville, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
It was ratified by Russia’s lower parliament Thursday.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ratify
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English ratifien, from Anglo-French ratifier, from Medieval Latin ratificare, from Latin ratus determined, from past participle of reri to calculate — more at reason entry 1
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of ratify was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near ratify
Cite this Entry
“Ratify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratify. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on ratify
Nglish: Translation of ratify for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ratify for Arabic Speakers
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