ratified

Ratified is the past participle of ratify, a verb meaning to give formal consent or validation to a proposal, agreement, treaty, or amendment. To ratify is to authorize or confirm the final acceptance by an official body or authority, thereby making the instrument legally binding or operative.

In international law, ratification marks the point at which a state formally consents to be bound by a treaty. A treaty may be negotiated by representatives of states, but most require domestic approval by the state’s government or legislature before ratification. Once ratified, the treaty is generally binding on the state and may become enforceable under international law; some provisions may come into force only after a specified number of ratifications or after a certain date.

In domestic law, ratification often concerns constitutional amendments, statutes, or other formal instruments. The process varies by jurisdiction: some systems require legislative approval, a referendum, or both. In the United States, for example, treaties require advice and consent from the Senate by a two-thirds majority; once ratified, treaties become part of the supreme law of the land, subject to judicial interpretation. Constitutional amendments, by contrast, typically require ratification by a specified proportion of states, either through state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.

The term can also appear in non-governmental contexts to indicate formal approval or confirmation of standards, agreements, or corporate actions by authorized parties. Ratification thereby signals the completion of a formal acceptance process and the transition from proposal to enforceable obligation.