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 accords, launched by Nasa in 2020, are non-binding and require no parliamentary ratification, membership fee or financial contribution to sign.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
It had, in every sense, changed constitutional meaning through popular ratification.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 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
That is by design: Changing the Constitution requires a formidable consensus, starting with two-thirds of the vote in both the House and the Senate, followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
The underlying reason for this calculated orchestration of noncommitment was obvious: Any clear resolution of the slavery question one way or the other rendered ratification of the Constitution virtually impossible.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
