pocket veto
noun
: an indirect veto of a legislative bill by an executive through retention of the bill unsigned until after adjournment of the legislature
pocket veto
transitive verb
Examples of pocket veto in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lujan Grisham declined to sign the bill, killing the effort with a pocket veto.
—
Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
Congress cannot vote to override a pocket veto.
—Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2020
Lawmakers in his party in January—many of whom quietly wanted to preserve the pocket veto should Republicans reclaim their majority in fall’s election—still stood behind Biden.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Brinkman's amendment would also eliminate the pocket veto.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 1 Sep. 2021
One possibility, however unlikely, is that Trump could attempt to kill the bill with a pocket veto, reports Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner chief congressional correspondent.
—Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner, 7 Dec. 2020
Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown confirmed the pocket veto but would not state the reason.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 5 Jan. 2021
Up until the 1990s, the pocket veto was used routinely by presidents, but Congress in recent years has tended to hold pro forma sessions rather than adjourning.
—Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2020
The silence amounted to a pocket veto of the proposal.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
Congress cannot vote to override a pocket veto.
—Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2020
Lawmakers in his party in January—many of whom quietly wanted to preserve the pocket veto should Republicans reclaim their majority in fall’s election—still stood behind Biden.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 18 Mar. 2022
Brinkman's amendment would also eliminate the pocket veto.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 1 Sep. 2021
One possibility, however unlikely, is that Trump could attempt to kill the bill with a pocket veto, reports Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner chief congressional correspondent.
—Jamie McIntyre, Washington Examiner, 7 Dec. 2020
Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown confirmed the pocket veto but would not state the reason.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 5 Jan. 2021
Up until the 1990s, the pocket veto was used routinely by presidents, but Congress in recent years has tended to hold pro forma sessions rather than adjourning.
—Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2020
The silence amounted to a pocket veto of the proposal.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Pocket veto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocket%20veto. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share