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ratify

RAT-uh-fy /ˈrætɪfaɪ/

verbB2GRESATUPSC

FormalLegalDiplomatic

To give formal consent, approval, or official sanction to a treaty, contract, or constitutional amendment, making it valid.

Refers specifically to the final official step that converts a draft treaty or proposed amendment into binding law.

The story behind the word. In medieval law, making an agreement 'ratus' meant deeming it valid and settled. 'Ratificare' entered Middle English legal terminology to denote official legal confirmation.

Word relationships

confirm: Confirm can apply to any fact or informal plan, whereas ratify requires formal legal mechanisms.
endorse: Endorse means public support or approval, but does not inherently carry formal legal enactment authority.

reject: Reject means to refuse to approve a proposed agreement.
nullify: Nullify means to invalidate or cancel an law or agreement after or during its existence.

Commonly confused with

rectify: Rectify means to set something right or correct an error; ratify means to formally approve a treaty or law.

Word family

ratification (noun): The official act of ratifying.

Collocations

ratify a treaty
ratify an amendment
refuse to ratify
formally ratify

Example sentences

"The treaty requires thirty nations to ratify it before it officially enters into force globally." International treaty
"Three-fourths of the states had to ratify the amendment for it to become part of the supreme law." Constitutional history

Memory hook

RATIFY makes something VALID (RAt-ify -> Valid). Make it valid.

When not to use

Do not use for casual, informal personal agreement or simple approval of a mundane task.

Fun facts

The U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787, but required ratification by 9 of the 13 states to take effect, achieved in June 1788.