vet
noun
vet
1 American
[vet]
/ vɛt /
noun
verb (used with object)
-
vets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vetted,
past participle, past
-
vetting
present participle
-
to appraise, verify, or check for accuracy, authenticity, suitability, etc..
An expert vetted the manuscript before publication.
-
to examine or treat in one's capacity as a veterinarian.
verb (used without object)
-
vets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vetted,
past participle, past
-
vetting
present participle
vet
2
American
[vet]
/ vɛt /
noun
Informal.
vet.
3
American
abbreviation
-
veteran.
-
veterinarian.
-
veterinary.
vet
1
British
/ vɛt /
noun
verb
-
(tr) to make a prior examination and critical appraisal of (a person, document, scheme, etc) See also positive vetting
the candidates were well vetted
-
to examine, treat, or cure (an animal)
vet.
2
British
abbreviation
-
veteran
-
veterinarian
-
veterinary
vet
3
British
/ vɛt /
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
vetsimple
-
vetssimple
-
have vettedperfect
-
has vettedperfect
-
am vettingprogressive
-
are vettingprogressive
-
is vettingprogressive
-
have been vettingperfect progressive
-
has been vettingperfect progressive
Past
-
vettedsimple
-
had vettedperfect
-
was vettingprogressive
-
were vettingprogressive
-
had been vettingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of vet1
First recorded in 1860–65; short for veterinarian
Origin of vet2
An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; shortened form
Explanation
You are a vet if you served in the Armed Forces, or if you went to veterinary school and now give medical care to animals. The noun vet is short for either veteran (of the Armed Forces) or veterinarian (animal doctor). As a verb, vet means "to carefully examine beforehand." For example, your boss might ask you to vet people's applications before calling them for interviews, just to make sure they have the right experience for the job. Medically speaking, when a doctor vets you — or an animal — medical care is given.
Vocabulary lists containing vet
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 3
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This Week In Words: April 12–18, 2020
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Vocabulary from President Trump's First Address to Congress
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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.
See Examples For:
Just before I took her to the vet for the final time, she savoured an ice-cream and lay on the grass in the sunshine in the garden.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Jason Beaman, a Navy and Army vet, was shuffled among therapists who later left until he finally had enough.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
Gigi Bannister told TMZ, which first reported the actor’s death, that her late husband was a Vietnam War vet and was exposed to Agent Orange during his service.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
But our local vet noted that this wasn’t the first they’d heard of this kind of thing—and that we should monitor our cats for any irregular behaviors, such as hiding or lack of appetite.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
“I’ll take him to work and the vet techs can watch him while I’m with patients. Besides, Bat, I don’t think your dad is a fan of skunks.”
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
"But if you notice something unusual on your pet or livestock, reach out to a vet. Don't ignore it."
From Science Daily ● Dec. 17, 2025
“He’s a great scorer, great mentor for guys. Leadership. He’s a vet. He knows the game. For us, he brings all those,” Davis said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2021
“He’s smart. He’s a vet. He’s crafty how he does things,” Mahomes said.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2021
“I know what that’s like as a combat vet. I’m going to repay the favor to him and make sure he gets what he needs.”
From Washington Times ● Oct. 26, 2020
“You’re the show’s vet. Come with me. Although I must say, I’m tempted to send you over there just to find out what they’re saying.”
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Barrow said the team had been working closely with vets ahead of the show.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Distressed vets administered a glucose injection -- the only option, given that the cause of the ailment remains unknown -- to the 11-year-old male, known as Genghis Khan, who was struggling to breathe.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Indeed, studies have shown that vets get better care at the VA than through private providers.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
She said she never blindly trusts her AI and vets its custom plans with time-tested training principles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Adams couldn’t believe how beautiful it all was: the Wall, the vets, the peaceful feeling.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
But who needs Yelp when you have neighbors who have already vetted every home service you could possibly need?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The American Dream and Promise Act offers pathways to permanent status for Dreamers, those who were eligible for temporary protected status, and certain other highly vetted law-abiding noncitizens who now risk arrest, detention, and deportation.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
Though it’s unclear what Moraff knew and when, he barely vetted Platner and stood by him as a stream of troubling revelations emerged.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026
The council, on a unanimous vote, sent the draft ballot language to a committee for additional study after several councilmembers said it had not been properly vetted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
Still, the story had been vetted and rang true to survivors of other labor camps, to scholars, to human rights advocates, and to the South Korean government.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Some people on social media blamed the British press for hounding him; others blamed the academic institutions for not having done their vetting properly years ago to save Arday from the public humiliation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
A few people have been named to them, but they haven’t set up operations on the ground, nor have they been vetted by anyone whose vetting is necessary to give them power.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
They added their concerns about a wider problem with the party's vetting on social media and of candidates, including around antisemitic posts in recent months.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
While the centre operates without strict Vatican oversight, it follows long-standing Church rules governing exorcism, including mandatory vetting by mental health professionals.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
We should start peer review and vetting so they can be officially accepted.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
