Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ratification
1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin ratificātiōn- (stem of ratificātiō ), equivalent to ratificāt ( us ) (past participle of ratificāre to ratify ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Ratification is the official way to confirm something, usually by vote. It is the formal validation of a proposed law. We almost never use the word ratification except to talk about process by which proposed laws, treaties, and agreements are officially recognized. In the United States, any amendment to the Constitution requires ratification by at least three quarters of the states, even after Congress has approved it.
Vocabulary lists containing ratification
New Year, New Words: Vocabulary for January
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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George Washington's Farewell Address (1796)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The majority’s decision in Barbara recounts how before the 14th Amendment’s ratification, Americans followed the long-standing common-law rule making persons born on American soil citizens by birth.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
The week is expected to see renewed efforts towards regional energy security, including the ongoing push for ratification of the bloc's Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security fuel-sharing scheme.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Daniel Okrent follows Prohibition from an idealistic reform movement to the 1919 ratification of the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Slavery in the U.S. wouldn’t be officially abolished until 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
Alice Paul raises a glass in celebration of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
