veto
Americannoun
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vetoes
plural
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the power or right vested in one branch of a government to cancel or postpone the decisions, enactments, etc., of another branch, especially the right of a president, governor, or other chief executive to reject bills passed by the legislature.
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the exercise of this right.
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Also called veto message. a document exercising such right and setting forth the reasons for such action.
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a nonconcurring vote by which one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council can overrule the actions or decisions of the meeting on matters other than procedural.
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an emphatic prohibition of any sort.
verb (used with object)
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vetoes,
present (3rd person singular)
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vetoed,
past participle, past
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vetoing
present participle
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to reject (a proposed bill or enactment) by exercising a veto.
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to prohibit emphatically.
noun
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the power to prevent legislation or action proposed by others; prohibition
the presidential veto
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the exercise of this power
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Also called: veto message. government a document containing the reasons why a chief executive has vetoed a measure
verb
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to refuse consent to (a proposal, esp a government bill)
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to prohibit, ban, or forbid
her parents vetoed her trip
Usage
What does veto mean? A veto is the right of one branch of government to reject or prohibit a decision of another branch. It’s also called veto power. The most well-known type of veto is the ability of the President of the United States to veto legislation that passes both houses of Congress. When a president vetoes legislation, the legislation goes back to Congress, which can override the veto, rewrite the legislation so that the president signs it, or abandon the legislation. A veto is also an instance of this right, as in The president’s veto of the new law was unexpected and shocked Congress. A veto is also the document that spells out a veto and the reasons for it. This document is also called a veto message. Within the United Nations, a veto is a vote by one of the permanent members of the Security Council that differs from the other members’ votes. For example, if four of the five votes is a yay vote, the veto is a nay vote. Outside of politics, a veto is a strong rejection of any sort. For example, you might propose that your family get a dog. If your parents put a veto on your proposal, they reject the idea of getting a dog. To veto is to reject a decision by exercising veto power, as in Maya’s grandmother vetoed the idea of sharing family recipes on social media. Example: Although the president vetoed the bill, there were enough votes in Congress to pass it anyway.
Discover More
Originally intended to prevent Congress from passing unconstitutional laws, the veto is now used by the president as a powerful bargaining tool, especially when his objectives conflict with majority sentiment in Congress. (See also checks and balances.)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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vetosimple
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vetoessimple
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have vetoedperfect
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has vetoedperfect
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am vetoingprogressive
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are vetoingprogressive
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is vetoingprogressive
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have been vetoingperfect progressive
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has been vetoingperfect progressive
Past
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vetoedsimple
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had vetoedperfect
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was vetoingprogressive
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were vetoingprogressive
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had been vetoingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of veto
First recorded in 1620–30, veto is from the Latin word vetō I forbid
Explanation
A veto is a no vote that blocks a decision. The President can veto some bills that pass his desk. A veto is a very official way of saying "No!" Vetoes block or forbid something, and the word is also used more loosely. The President of the United States can veto Senators who oppose his ideas, but if he tries to veto his daughter from joining the swim team, he might encounter his fiercest opponent yet. If you strongly disagree with your friends' choice of a movie, you could say, "I have to veto that." Vetoes vote no.
Vocabulary lists containing veto
U.S. Government Lingo
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Civics I
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Ancient Rome - Introductory
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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:
Tata Trusts hold controlling economic interest and veto rights over Tata Sons board appointments and capital allocation decisions above a certain threshold.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
By the way, the U.S. can sometimes veto U.N. resolutions even when they are vastly out-voted by other nations.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto bills passed in the final days of the legislative session.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
The Senate and House would need to adopt a joint resolution of disapproval by a two-thirds veto proof majority to stop it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
After some wrangling, J. T. promised Venkatesh unfettered access to the gang’s operations as long as J. T. retained veto power over any information that, if published, might prove harmful.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
In past vetoes, he said such programs could undermine partnerships community colleges have built with CSU and other universities that already award the degrees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Under the US Constitution, legislation becomes law after 10 days if the president neither signs nor vetoes it while Congress remains in session.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
“Reforms such as harmonizing VAT rules or establishing a common consolidated corporate tax base remain stuck because of national vetoes, leaving firms to navigate a maze of fragmented tax regimes,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
How that will transpire is unclear, but it yet again raises the prospect of disagreement, vetoes and stand-off.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2025
After Coin vetoes a dinner, entertainment, and alcohol, Plutarch yells, “What’s the point of the propo if no one’s having any fun!”
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
As for the paint color, the board vetoed the “ripe currant” color she wanted, saying she could only use earth tones to match with traditional Craftsman colors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Despite neo-Nazis frequently flocking to the address, its last private owner, Gerlinde Pommer, vetoed any transformation of the house and contested its expropriation by the state until the very end.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Constitution, a bill becomes law about 10 days after it has been presented to the president, even without a signature, as long as it is not vetoed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
In 1832, President Andrew Jackson vetoed a reauthorization of the Second Bank’s charter, declaring it an unconstitutional monopoly favoring the few over the many.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Leo had wanted to paint a giant message on the bottom of the hull—WASSUP? with a smiley face—but Annabeth vetoed the idea.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Even Grover Cleveland, though not always celebrated for moral inspiration, insisted on personal integrity in public office, vetoing legislation he believed violated constitutional principles despite considerable political cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
In vetoing other legislation, Newsom has repeatedly cited costs, as the state struggles with a massive budget deficit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2024
While vetoing the bill, Walz announced he was commissioning a study of the drivers’ working conditions.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2024
It has stopped vetoing condemnatory resolutions at the United Nations.
From BBC ● May 8, 2024
Unfortunately at the end of ten days the President sent to the Senate the civil rights bill, referred to, with his message vetoing it.
From Recollections of Forty Years in the House, Senate and Cabinet An Autobiography. by John Sherman
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.
