ratification

noun

plural ratifications
Synonyms of ratification
: 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.
The few remaining workers maintaining the plant, however, received those benefits upon ratification. Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026 The agreement will be presented to union members for ratification on Friday. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 The right of women to the ballot was formally made a part of the constitution of the United States today when Secretary of State Colby proclaimed ratification of the nineteenth amendment. Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 26 Aug. 2026 But most of the indictments were dismissed with the ratification of California as a state a few months later. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026 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 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

ratification

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

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