vetted

1. 1
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of vet.

   The agency vetted each applicant for security risks.

   Every claim in the report was carefully vetted before publication.

   Note

   One spelling does two jobs. As a simple past it stands alone (the agency vetted each applicant). As a participle it follows have or be (the claims had been vetted). The final t doubles before -ed, as it does in other short verbs ending in a single vowel and consonant. The form belongs only to the verb meaning "check thoroughly". The nouns spelled vet, for a veterinarian or a veteran, play no part in it.

2. 2
   adjective

   Having undergone an investigation and received approval.

   The newspaper relied only on vetted sources for its investigation.

   All vetted candidates moved on to the final round of interviews.

   Similarverified, approved, checked

   Oppositeunverified, unchecked

   Note

   Where the past-tense verb reports an action, the adjective names a settled status, usually placed before the noun: vetted nominees, vetted sources. It does not take degrees. Something is vetted or it is not, so "more vetted" sounds odd. To stress thoroughness, put an adverb on the process instead, as in carefully vetted.

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