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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
The governor noted in his veto message that the state board already has 13 members.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
But his veto message was silent on county jails, which Newsom doesn’t control and where advocates say there are some of the worst conditions due to overcrowding and understaffing.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
However, on August 16, the North Carolina House and Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which prohibits transgender girls from joining girls’ sports teams and trans boys from joining boys’ teams in middle school, high school, and college.
—Condé Nast, SELF, 24 Aug. 2023
Both chambers also voted Wednesday to override Cooper’s veto of another bill banning transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams from middle and high school through college.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023
The House kicked off the day's rush of votes with a 74-45 vote to override Cooper's veto of a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from playing on girls' middle school, high school and college sports teams.
—CBS News, 17 Aug. 2023
The House kicked off the day’s rush of votes with a 74-45 vote to override Cooper’s veto of a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from playing on girls’ middle school, high school and college sports teams.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Aug. 2023
In the Senate, thirty-one Democrats and two Independents joined the Republican minority in support of the resolution, with many citing the mayor’s veto as justification.
—Robert Samuels, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2023
Adam Beam, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2023
Conservationists were disappointed that Governor DeSantis vetoed another $100 million for agricultural easements via the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
—Stephanie Castellano, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2023
An initial attempt by the state lawmakers to pass such a law was vetoed by the governor over preemption concerns, so a new version was subsequently enacted.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 17 Aug. 2023
Many of his projects were vetoed this year, far more than other lawmakers, Gruters said.
—Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023
Hobbs had vetoed a similar rental tax bill in February, over the objections of Republican lawmakers who said the tax burdened Arizonans struggling with high inflation.
—Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2023
In May, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have mandated higher pay and job security for Lyft and Uber drivers in the state.
—Summer Ballentine, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2023
Mayor Jacob Frey has power to veto the ordinance until next Wednesday, Aug. 23.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2023
The president has the ability to veto any government move to draw on its foreign currency reserves and instruct the anti-graft agency to continue an investigation even if the prime minister objects.
—Time, 18 Aug. 2023
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Noun
Though the North has traditionally offered Russia and China at least as much trouble as comradeship, both countries wielded their veto power at the Council when the United States and its allies tried to adopt new penalties against the North in recent months.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
The governor noted in his veto message that the state board already has 13 members.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
But his veto message was silent on county jails, which Newsom doesn’t control and where advocates say there are some of the worst conditions due to overcrowding and understaffing.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023
However, on August 16, the North Carolina House and Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, which prohibits transgender girls from joining girls’ sports teams and trans boys from joining boys’ teams in middle school, high school, and college.
—Condé Nast, SELF, 24 Aug. 2023
Both chambers also voted Wednesday to override Cooper’s veto of another bill banning transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams from middle and high school through college.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023
The House kicked off the day's rush of votes with a 74-45 vote to override Cooper's veto of a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from playing on girls' middle school, high school and college sports teams.
—CBS News, 17 Aug. 2023
The House kicked off the day’s rush of votes with a 74-45 vote to override Cooper’s veto of a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from playing on girls’ middle school, high school and college sports teams.
—Hannah Schoenbaum, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Aug. 2023
In the Senate, thirty-one Democrats and two Independents joined the Republican minority in support of the resolution, with many citing the mayor’s veto as justification.
—Robert Samuels, The New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2023
Verb
Legislation in Colorado was vetoed by the Democratic governor at the urging of some consumer groups.
—Adam Beam, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2023
Conservationists were disappointed that Governor DeSantis vetoed another $100 million for agricultural easements via the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program.
—Stephanie Castellano, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2023
An initial attempt by the state lawmakers to pass such a law was vetoed by the governor over preemption concerns, so a new version was subsequently enacted.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 17 Aug. 2023
Many of his projects were vetoed this year, far more than other lawmakers, Gruters said.
—Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023
Hobbs had vetoed a similar rental tax bill in February, over the objections of Republican lawmakers who said the tax burdened Arizonans struggling with high inflation.
—Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2023
In May, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have mandated higher pay and job security for Lyft and Uber drivers in the state.
—Summer Ballentine, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2023
Mayor Jacob Frey has power to veto the ordinance until next Wednesday, Aug. 23.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2023
The president has the ability to veto any government move to draw on its foreign currency reserves and instruct the anti-graft agency to continue an investigation even if the prime minister objects.
—Time, 18 Aug. 2023
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Veto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veto. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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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
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