Word
ratify
Phoneticsrat·i·fy, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹætəˌfaɪ/
UK/ɹˈætɪfˌaɪ/
Definition
v. to officially agree to a decision or a document so that it becomes legal. You use this when a group or a country signs a deal to make it official.
v. to formally approve or confirm a decision, treaty, or agreement. Often used in legal or political contexts to describe the process of making a document official.
Examples
“The committee must ratify the new rules before they start.”
“The treaty will not be legally binding until the president ratifies it with the national parliament.”
“After months of intense negotiation, the final agreement was ratified by both nations, marking a significant milestone in their long-standing diplomatic efforts to resolve the border dispute.”
Examples
simple
“The committee must ratify the new rules before they start.”
contextual
“The treaty will not be legally binding until the president ratifies it with the national parliament.”
complex
“After months of intense negotiation, the final agreement was ratified by both nations, marking a significant milestone in their long-standing diplomatic efforts to resolve the border dispute.”
Real-World Examples
“In 1791, Congress ratified an addition to the country’s founding document that established civil protections like the freedom of religion.” “Under the terms of the 1929 Geneva Convention , which Japan had signed but failed to ratify , POWs were supposed to be treated humanely and afforded certain rights .” “The document was ratified in 1788, cementing the law of the free land.” Etymology
From Old French ratifier, from Medieval Latin ratifico, from Latin ratus (“reckoned”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/ratify