vet

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈvet 

plural vets

: veterinarian

a vet who specializes in equine care

Raven left home for university and is studying to become a vet.

—Emma Tinson

When the vet gives Freddy a rabies shot, the dog doesn't flinch.

—Susan Buchsbaum

vet

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural vets

: veteran

military vets

war/combat vets

receives vet benefits

The men they knew there were twenty-nine or thirty years old, and vets of Korea.

—Mary Ferraro

vet

3 of 3

verb

vetted; vetting; vets

transitive verb

1

a

: to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance

vet the candidates for a position

All our requests for documents were vetted by a woman from the KGB.

—Orlando Figes

Because organizers know that the success of their fairs is always a function of the quality of the merchandise …, many of them vet the items being sold.

—Jeffrey Robinson

b

: to subject to usually expert appraisal or correction

vet a manuscript

… the ad agency that vets the show's plot line for authenticity.

—Mark Harris

He writes his speeches in longhand and often holds them until the last minute so that they cannot be vetted by aides or Government ministers.

—Howell Raines

I don't care to see Dr. Stopler and have my weaknesses vetted.

—Richard Ford

2

: to provide veterinary care for (an animal) : to subject (an animal) to veterinary examination

The SCHS works directly with the municipal county shelter by taking animals into our … system, fully vetting them and adopting them to forever homes.

—Steve Rogers

"As a practicing veterinarian many years ago," writes Douglas F. McBride of Washingtonville, N.Y., "I was occasionally called to vet a horse. …"

—William Safire

vetter noun

plural vetters

Did you know?

A Brief History of the Verb Vet

When we vet a statement for accuracy or vet a candidate for a position, what are we doing, literally? Does the verb have something to do with veteran "a person with long experience," perhaps indicating that the thing or person vetted is proved to be tried and true?

Interestingly, the word is not related to veteran at all, but rather to veterinarian "an animal doctor." That noun was shortened to vet by the mid-19th century and, within decades, gave rise to a verb vet meaning "to subject (an animal) to medical examination." The verb was soon applied to human beings as well, broadening in sense to "to perform a medical checkup on." By the early 20th century, this word took on the figurative meaning that is now most familiar: "to subject a person or thing to scrutiny; to examine for flaws."

Synonyms of vet

Noun (2)

• veteran

Examples of vet in a Sentence

Noun (1)

I have to take my dog to the vet.

Noun (2)

he's a hardened vet of many political campaigns

Verb

They vetted her thoroughly before offering her the job.

The book was vetted by several different editors.

He's already vetted the plan, so we can start right away.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Colorado vet wristed a rebound past goaltender Kevin Lankinen from the left face-off circle with 32 seconds left in the first period — a score that got the Avs off their collective duffs and onto the scoreboard. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2025

The device also captures stills and videos of each visit, creating a record that can be shared with a vet to avoid guesswork. —New Atlas, 3 Dec. 2025

Verb

Quietly, the company has snuck into the final stage of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, where the agency vets the scalability of different quantum ideas. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 3 Dec. 2025

What To Know The move to pause all applications for those from 19 countries already subjected to a travel ban could mean those who have already been heavily vetted for green cards or citizenship will have to wait longer for final approval. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1848, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1848, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for vet

• bet
• brett
• debt
• et
• fret
• get
• jet
• let
• lett
• met
• net
• nett

Kids Definition

vet

1 of 2 noun

ˈvet 

: veterinarian, veterinary

vet

2 of 2 noun

: veteran

Medical Definition

vet

1 of 2 noun

ˈvet 

: veterinarian

vet

2 of 2 transitive verb

vetted; vetting

1

: to provide veterinary care for (an animal) or medical care for (a person)

2

: to subject (a person or animal) to a physical examination or checkup