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ratify

RAT-ih-fy /ˈrætɪfaɪ/

verbC1GRETOEFLIELTS

formallegalpolitical

To sign or give formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.

Ratification is often a domestic process that follows an international signing; a leader might sign a treaty, but the country's legislature must ratify it for it to become law.

The story behind the word. The word comes from the Latin 'ratus', meaning 'fixed' or 'settled'. When you ratify something, you are literally 'making it fixed' or permanent in the eyes of the law.

Word relationships

confirm: Confirm is more general, while ratify specifically implies a formal, often legislative, approval process.
endorse: Endorse can mean simple public support, whereas ratify has legal weight.

reject: To refuse to accept or agree to.
veto: To specifically use power to stop a piece of legislation from becoming law.

Commonly confused with

sign: Signing is the initial act of agreement; ratifying is the final legal validation.

Word family

ratification (noun): The action of signing or giving formal consent.

Collocations

ratify a treaty
formally ratify
refuse to ratify
ratify an amendment

Example sentences

"The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution." Historical legal document regarding the US Constitution. (Preamble to the Bill of Rights, 1789)
"Even though the nation signed the agreement, the parliament refused to ratify it due to economic concerns." Discussion of environmental policy.

Memory hook

Think of 'Ratify' as 'Rat-ify'—the government 'rats' (officials) must 'ify' (make) it official. Make it official, make it fixed.

When not to use

Do not use for informal agreements between friends or casual promises.

Fun facts

The US Constitution required 9 of the 13 states to ratify it before it could take effect.