ratified

American

[rat-uh-fahyd] / ˈræt əˌfaɪd /

adjective

confirmed by formal or authoritative consent or approval.

The international Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty of all time.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of ratify.

Other Word Forms

unratified adjective

Etymology

Origin of ratified

ratify ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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 citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War, begins: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

French lawmakers in January approved a social media ban for under-15s, although it still needs to be ratified by the Senate.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced the bloc would go forward with agreement pending the EU top court's ruling on its legality after Argentina and Uruguay ratified the agreement Thursday.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Although the official campaign for the national assembly was not scheduled to begin until February 1994, we started to campaign in earnest after the new constitution was ratified.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023