1. noun The indirect but effective or implicit prevention of a legislative bill from becoming law by declining to return it to congress or parliament until they have been adjourned. In the United States, this adjournment must occur within ten days of the bill being passed to the president for signing. The president has made it clear that he will exercise a pocket veto on any funding bill that does not meet his demands for increases in the military budget.

2. verb To indirectly prevent a legislative bill from becoming law by such means. Though the president claims to have pocket vetoed the bill, the speaker of the house made it clear that the congressional recess would not happen before the tenth day required, and thus the bill would be returned to congress and remain open to an override vote.