ratify
RAT-uh-fy
/ˈræt.ɪ.faɪ/
To sign or give formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.
Specifically refers to national legislative bodies confirming international treaties signed by diplomats.
The story behind the word. From Medieval Latin 'ratificare', combining 'ratus' (reckoned, fixed) with 'facere' (to make). In medieval legal law, ratifying was the formal legal procedure that converted provisional diplomatic drafts into unalterable statutory law.
Word relationships
- endorse: Endorse means to express approval publicly, whereas ratify makes an agreement legally binding.
- nullify: Nullify means to declare an agreement void, while ratify makes it binding.
Commonly confused with
- sign: Signing expresses preliminary agreement; ratifying legally binds the state through legislative vote.
Word family
- ratification (noun): The official act of ratifying an agreement.
Collocations
- ratify a treaty
- ratify an amendment
- fail to ratify
Example sentences
- "The national parliament voted unanimously to ratify the landmark international climate accord." Legislative Process
Memory hook
To RATIFY is to make an agreement RAT-ified and fixed into law. Formally confirm into law.
When not to use
Do not use for informal personal agreements or casual verbal promises.
Fun facts
- A country can sign an international treaty but fail to ratify it internally, leaving it non-binding domestically.
Related words
Also appears in
- Communication → Agreements & Affirmations
- Law → Legal Systems & Constitutions
- Law → Legislation & Lawmaking
- Law → Contracts & Agreements
- Law → International Law & Treaties
- Political Science & Governance → State Sovereignty & Statecraft
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Climate Policy & International Agreements
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → International Environmental Accords
- Political Science & Governance → Constitutional Law & Rights
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.