The executive branch
presidential veto
The President's refusal to sign a bill, returning it to Congress with objections. Congress can override with two-thirds of both chambers.
In full
A veto is the executive's formal share of the lawmaking power. The bill goes back to the chamber it started in, along with a written message, and both chambers must muster two-thirds to enact it anyway. Most vetoes are never overridden, so the credible threat of one shapes bills long before any veto is cast. A pocket veto is the variant Congress cannot answer.
Where to go next
Keep going
Browse every term in the glossary, or see the vocabulary in motion in the How government works walkthroughs.
A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.