plural vetoes
1
: an authoritative prohibition : interdiction
2
a
: a power of one department or branch of a government to forbid or prohibit finally or provisionally the carrying out of projects attempted by another department
especially
: a power vested in a chief executive to prevent permanently or temporarily the enactment of measures passed by a legislature
b(1)
: the exercise of such authority
(2)
: a message communicating the reasons of an executive and especially the president of the U.S. for vetoing a proposed law
vetoed; vetoing
: to refuse to admit or approve : prohibit
also
: to refuse assent to (a legislative bill) so as to prevent enactment or cause reconsideration
Synonyms
Examples of veto in a Sentence
Noun
a veto of a bill
Are there enough votes in Congress to override the President's veto?
The President has the veto over new legislation.
The President may choose to exercise his veto.
Verb
The President vetoed the bill.
We wanted to do a cross-country trip, but our parents vetoed it.
She vetoed several restaurants before we could agree on one.
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Plans called for 40-minute walkouts at schools across Alaska, with 40 representing the number of votes lawmakers needed to override the veto.
—Becky Bohrer, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Kelly vetoed the measure and supporters were unable to override the veto.
—Jonathan Shorman and, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
While Democrats did not have the votes to stop its passage in the Legislature, now Republicans don't have the votes needed to override the veto.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
Allison Madison, program manager for Wisconsin Salt Wise, a coalition of groups working to reduce salt pollution in state waters, said she was frustrated by the veto.
—Journal Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2024
The House and Senate wasted no time to take action after the veto, overriding it on March 6.
—Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Mar. 2024
But as Russia holds veto power, the resolution to continue the panel of experts’ work failed.
—Richard Roth, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
The resolution passed 14 to 0 after the U.S. decided not to use its veto power and instead abstained on the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel.
—Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
Republicans have been trying to alter the system since it was approved by the state legislature in 1991, but the bills have either been vetoed by a Democratic governor or died in committee.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
State Supreme Court rulings have required that a governor strike a budget item in its entirety when vetoing it.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
But even if such a resolution passed in both chambers, the president could veto it.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers and Kelly had both insisted on delivering tax cuts this year, but the governor vetoed a single-rate income tax plan favored by Republicans.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers last year approved a one-time, $175-million funding boost but Dunleavy vetoed half that sum.
—Becky Bohrer, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Little vetoed a similar bill last year that would have allowed parents to claim $2,500 in damages each time the material was obtained at a library.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2024
Vanessa Swales In a surprise move, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley vetoed a County Board resolution that would give 36% pay raises to the county's treasurer, county clerk and register of deeds.
—Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
Under previous governors, the legislature has used that limit on the governor’s veto power to its advantage.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Plans called for 40-minute walkouts at schools across Alaska, with 40 representing the number of votes lawmakers needed to override the veto.
—Becky Bohrer, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Kelly vetoed the measure and supporters were unable to override the veto.
—Jonathan Shorman and, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
While Democrats did not have the votes to stop its passage in the Legislature, now Republicans don't have the votes needed to override the veto.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
Allison Madison, program manager for Wisconsin Salt Wise, a coalition of groups working to reduce salt pollution in state waters, said she was frustrated by the veto.
—Journal Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2024
The House and Senate wasted no time to take action after the veto, overriding it on March 6.
—Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Mar. 2024
But as Russia holds veto power, the resolution to continue the panel of experts’ work failed.
—Richard Roth, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
The resolution passed 14 to 0 after the U.S. decided not to use its veto power and instead abstained on the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel.
—Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
Governor Tim Walz had commissioned the study by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry after vetoing a statewide bill that would have also improved driver pay.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
Republicans have been trying to alter the system since it was approved by the state legislature in 1991, but the bills have either been vetoed by a Democratic governor or died in committee.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024
State Supreme Court rulings have required that a governor strike a budget item in its entirety when vetoing it.
—Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
But even if such a resolution passed in both chambers, the president could veto it.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers and Kelly had both insisted on delivering tax cuts this year, but the governor vetoed a single-rate income tax plan favored by Republicans.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Lawmakers last year approved a one-time, $175-million funding boost but Dunleavy vetoed half that sum.
—Becky Bohrer, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
Little vetoed a similar bill last year that would have allowed parents to claim $2,500 in damages each time the material was obtained at a library.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 3 Apr. 2024
Vanessa Swales In a surprise move, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley vetoed a County Board resolution that would give 36% pay raises to the county's treasurer, county clerk and register of deeds.
—Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'veto.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing veto
Articles Related to veto
Dictionary Entries Near veto
Cite this Entry
“Veto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veto. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
veto
1 of 2 noun
ve·to
ˈvēt-ō 
plural vetoes
1
: a forbidding of something by a person in authority
2
a
: the power of the head of a government to prevent a bill passed by a legislature from becoming law
b
: the use of such authority
Etymology
Noun
from Latin veto "I forbid," from vetare "to forbid"
Legal Definition
veto
1 of 2 noun
ve·to
ˈvē-tō
plural vetoes
1
: an authoritative prohibition
2
a
: a power vested in a chief executive to prevent permanently or temporarily the enactment of measures passed by a legislature
b
: the exercise of such authority see also pocket veto compare legislative veto
veto
2 of 2 transitive verb
vetoed; vetoing
: to refuse to admit or approve
specifically
: to refuse assent to (a legislative bill) so as to prevent enactment or cause reconsideration see also override
Etymology
Noun
Latin, I forbid, refuse assent to
More from Merriam-Webster on veto
Nglish: Translation of veto for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of veto for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about veto
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share