what does ratify mean

Ratify means to approve and formally sanction an act, treaty, or agreement, making it legally binding. In international law, ratification is the process by which a state declares its consent to be bound to a treaty. This can involve signing the treaty or voting for it to make it official. Ratification can also occur in other contexts, such as corporate governance, constitutional amendments, and contract law, where it involves the post facto approval of actions that fell outside the authority of the person or entity involved.