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:
And emergency vet bills can run into the thousands of dollars, according to Jennifer Quammen, president of the AVMA.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Owner Brett Masters said Hugo received "a huge amount of care" from a chiropractor, dentist, vet and masseuse, meaning he lived a "five-star lifestyle".
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
At just six months old, the leaf monkey curled up inside DNP vet Thanawadee Phaichana's rubber-gloved hand is very small indeed.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
She’d lean into her experience as a vet tech to take care of the neglected duo and quickly “fell in love.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
The vet took a hand-held electronic scanner off the counter and waved it back and forth over the dog’s back.
From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers
"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
But Tully said Noel is “not 100% there. She’s terrified when I take her to the vet. I groom her at home. It’s awful and heartbreaking to watch.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2021
“He’s a vet. This is what he does, and he’s been doing it for a very long time.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 24, 2020
“He was a Vietnam vet. He served honorably. He came home, he was against the war. So were a lot of vets.”
From Washington Post ● Apr. 26, 2016
“A vet. A wildlife center. Maybe they can save it. We can—” The woman suddenly moaned, doubling over as she clasped her belly.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
“Because she knows that those vets really really believe in her.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Also like many vets, he loves guns, and is excited, post-recovery, to “go hog hunting.”
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
She took him to the vets and managed to use his microchip to track his owner in Sunderland and reunite them.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 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
After Lu, Sunny, and Patina ran, the coach told all the other runners, "the vets," to line up and show "the newbies" how it was done.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
The $1tn tech company only made Claude Mythos 5.1 available to vetted US bodies.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
The Times has reported he tapped the insurers he owned for financing, a deal that was later vetted by state insurance regulators.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 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
The Fed also asked about how the bank vetted clients’ funds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“Visitors are vetted weeks before they arrive at the Ice Court,” Matthias said.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Under the new regime, visa holders who need more time will have to file formal applications with the federal government, subjecting themselves to additional background checks, biometric vetting, and other bureaucratic hurdles.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Reform UK has a robust vetting processs for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Germany's young defence firms face other hurdles, from lengthy security vetting for staff to red tape.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
Following the review and in response to concern over high-profile vetting failures in England including the case of David Carrick, Police Scotland initiated a "historic data wash".
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The competition to lead the Review was ferocious every year, involving rigorous vetting and a vote by eighty student editors.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
