To vet means to carefully examine or check something to make sure it's trustworthy, accurate, or safe. When your teacher vets sources for a research project, she's making sure they're reliable and well-researched before allowing students to use them. When a company vets job candidates, they're thoroughly checking backgrounds, references, and qualifications before making a hiring decision.

You might vet a new friend's advice before following it, or vet facts before including them in a presentation. The key idea is careful, thorough examination. When something hasn't been properly vetted, it means no one has checked it carefully, like using the first website you find without reading it closely or verifying what it says.

Scientists vet each other's research through peer review. Journalists vet their sources before publishing stories. Museums vet artifacts to confirm they're authentic. Vetting is how we separate what's genuine and reliable from what's fake or questionable.