pocket veto

noun

Definition of pocket veto

: an indirect veto of a legislative bill by an executive through retention of the bill unsigned until after adjournment of the legislature

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pocket veto

transitive verb

See pocket veto defined for English-language learners

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Recent Examples of pocket veto from the Web

The tradition was intended to give Senators a chance to flag a particular problem with a nominee that others might not know about, but it was never intended as an ideological pocket veto.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Senate Blue-Slip Bluster," 11 Oct. 2017
President Johnson almost let the bill die via pocket veto during Congress’s summer recess of 1966.

— spenser mestel, Longreads, "My Journey to the Heart of the FOIA Request," 20 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pocket veto.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pocket veto

1842

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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POCKET VETO Defined for English Language Learners

pocket veto

noun

Definition of pocket veto for English Language Learners

: a method that the President can use to prevent a bill from becoming a law by not signing the bill before the session of Congress ends

Law Dictionary

pocket veto

noun pock·et veto

legal Definition of pocket veto

: a veto of legislation that occurs indirectly when an executive refrains from signing the legislation and the adjournment of the legislature prevents its automatic enactment (as upon expiration of ten days)