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
USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
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Gov. Newsom vetoes bill meant to protect farmworkers from heat
Valley Health Foundation honors Bloom Energy founder
What’s covered by California’s new IVF insurance requirement?
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
For the past two years, Lebanon’s Parliament has been unable to elect a president, because Hezbollah has vetoed all candidates but its own.
—Kim Ghattas, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for veto 
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Noun
What’s at stake: Wisconsinites have seen five referendum questions this year, all placed on the ballot by Republicans as a roundabout to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ veto.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Related Articles Nursing aides plagued by PTSD after ‘nightmare’ COVID conditions, with little help
Gov. Newsom vetoes bill meant to protect farmworkers from heat
Valley Health Foundation honors Bloom Energy founder
What’s covered by California’s new IVF insurance requirement?
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024
Verb
But whether Trump or Harris wins, Congress would still have to approve a federal wage bump, before a president could sign or veto it.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
For the past two years, Lebanon’s Parliament has been unable to elect a president, because Hezbollah has vetoed all candidates but its own.
—Kim Ghattas, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for 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 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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