Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

vetting

American  
[vet-ing] / ˈvɛt ɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act or process of appraising or checking a person or thing for suitability, accuracy, or validity.

    The quality of a competitive jazz festival is contingent upon the vetting and hiring of experienced judges, which must be done far in advance.

  2. the act or process of examining or treating an animal in one’s capacity as a veterinarian.

    At this shelter we are passionately dedicated to the rescue, vetting, and homing of orphaned pets.

  3. the occupation or work of a veterinarian.

    After 30 years of vetting, I sometimes struggle through my morning consults just to collapse in a chair before my afternoon surgery list.


adjective

  1. appraising, verifying, or checking something.

    The appointing authority (the Executive) and the vetting institution (Parliament) should scrutinize appointments so only those with the needed skills are appointed to diplomatic posts.

Etymology

Origin of vetting

First recorded in 1885–90; vet 1 + -ing 1 for the noun senses; vet 1 + -ing 2 for the adjective sense

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.

The source also noted that, if the videos were private, they would not have been viewable during Peacock’s vetting process.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

The posts from 2022 to 2025 prompted questions about the party's vetting procedures.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Others lay bare the scramble to complete the vetting process as quickly as possible, amid what one official describes as "quite a bit of senior interest" in how quickly the case was progressing.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital, with $210 billion in lending authority, is vetting companies like Performance Drone Works and Neros Technologies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

He was struck by the nonchalance of Lawrence’s decision making: there had been no search committee; no bureaucratic procedure or vetting of candidates.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "vetting" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com