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
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The ratification laid the groundwork for the arrest warrant issued by the court against Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025 What's next: If the 730 delegates vote to advance the proposal, about 30,000 members will vote on ratification next week. Monica Eng, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025 Any constitutional change would take support from two-thirds of both chambers of Congress — or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of states — and then would need ratification from three-quarters of states. Julia Mueller, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025 Section 3: This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification. Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 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 15 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

ratification

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

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