noun

veto

/ˈviːtoʊ/ · say it: VEE·toh

the power to reject a decision unilaterally

In Politics & Diplomacy

In more detail

1. (noun) the power to reject or stop a decision, law, or plan

2. (verb) to reject or stop something officially, using this power

Examples

1. The president used her veto to block the new law.
2. The board vetoed the proposal because it was too expensive.

How to use veto

Veto is used primarily in political, legal, and institutional contexts to describe the formal rejection or blocking of a decision by someone with authority to do so. The noun emphasizes the power or act itself, while the verb describes the action of rejecting. It carries a sense of authoritative finality—the decision is stopped, not merely questioned.

Common phrases

exercise a veto
cast a veto
presidential veto
right of veto
veto power
veto a decision

Synonyms

reject · block · prohibit · forbid · overrule

Opposites

approve · ratify · endorse

Word family

vetoer (one who vetoes)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use veto as if it means simply to disagree or object to something, rather than to officially reject it with formal authority.

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