Ratify
U.S. Naturalization Test (2025 Standard) glossary · Civics
Definition
To formally approve (states ratified the Constitution and its amendments).
Ratify in plain English
To ratify something is to give it your official, final stamp of approval so it actually becomes law. When the Constitution was written in 1787, it was just a proposal until enough states voted "yes" to ratify it — only then did it take effect. The same goes for amendments (changes to the Constitution): they don't count until the required number of states ratify them. It's like a group text plan that isn't real until enough friends reply "I'm in" — the idea exists, but ratifying makes it official.
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