My uncle is a veteran of the Vietnam War.
Source: tatoeba (251175)
Veteran
/ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/
Synonyms for "veteran" (122 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (25)
Noun(7 words)
Strong matches (36)
Noun(7 words)
Adjective(2 words)
grizzledmilitary background
knowingmastermaturematuredmethuselahnestornonagenariannot born yesterdayoctogenarianoldold campaignerold chapold codgerold dogold dufferold geezerold gentold gentlemanold handold man
Show 7 more words
old paarold partyold proold saltold sea dogold soldierold timer
Related words (61)
old-timeold-timerolderoldsterpantaloonpast masterpatriarchpensionerpracticalpracticedpresbyterprofessionalproficientriperipenedsagacioussaltseasonedseasoned veteransenior citizen
Show 20 more words
septuagenariansexagenarianshellbackskilledsophisticatedthe quiet-voiced elderstriedtried and truetroupervenerable sirversedvetwar horsewar-horsewarhorsewiseworld-wiseworldlyworldly wiseworldly-wise
Noun(15 words)
old-timeroldcomeroldtimerseasonedseasoned professionalsenior chemistservice-relatedsrstagertime-honoredvetveteran relatedveteran soldierwarhorsewell established
Adjective(5 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: old hand, blase, campaigner, centenarian, champion.
- Sentence evidence is available for veteran, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "veteran".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "veteran"
Keep "veteran" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "veteran" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "veteran", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "veteran" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesMore specific
12 entriesage-old practicecombat veteranexperienced researcherhistoric institutionlong-serving employeelongstanding traditionmilitary benefits programmilitary retireeseasoned professionalservice connected benefitsveterans affairs programwar veteran
Collocations
9 entriesveteran athleteveteran benefitsveteran employeeveteran journalistveteran officerveteran organizationveteran researcherveteran statusveteran teacher
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriessimilar
2 entriesTranslations
35 translations across 27 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- ветеран noun (person with long experience)
Catalan
1 entries- veterà noun (person with long experience)
Chinese Mandarin
3 entries- 經驗豐富的人 /经验丰富的人 noun (person with long experience)
- 老將 /老将 noun (person with long experience)
- 老手 noun (person with long experience)
Danish
1 entries- veteran noun (person with long experience)
Dutch
2 entries- oudgediende noun (person with long experience)
- veteraan noun (person with long experience)
Finnish
2 entries- konkari noun (person with long experience)
- veteraani noun (person with long experience)
French
1 entries- vétéran noun (person with long experience)
Galician
1 entries- vedraño noun (person with long experience)
Georgian
1 entries- ვეტერანი noun (person with long experience)
German
1 entries- Veteran noun (person with long experience)
Greek
2 entries- βετεράνος noun (person with long experience)
- παλαίμαχος noun (person with long experience)
Hebrew
1 entries- וָתִיק noun (person with long experience)
Hungarian
1 entries- obsitos noun (person with long experience)
Ido
1 entries- veterano noun (person with long experience)
Irish
1 entries- ársa noun (person with long experience)
Italian
1 entries- veterano noun (person with long experience)
Japanese
1 entries- ベテラン noun (person with long experience)
Korean
1 entries- 베테랑 noun (person with long experience)
Persian
2 entries- کارکشته noun (person with long experience)
- کهنهکار noun (person with long experience)
Polish
2 entries- weteran noun (person with long experience)
- weteranka noun (person with long experience)
Portuguese
1 entries- veterano noun (person with long experience)
Russian
1 entries- ветера́н noun (person with long experience)
Spanish
2 entries- lobo de mar noun (person with long experience)
- veterano noun (person with long experience)
Sranan Tongo
1 entries- stonfutu noun (person with long experience)
Swahili
1 entries- mkale noun (person with long experience)
Swedish
1 entries- veteran noun (person with long experience)
Yakut
1 entries- бэтэрээн noun (person with long experience)
Sample sentences
20 total sentences available.
A strong veteran, having trained for tens of years, can fall to a weakling in a moment of laxness. That's what the martial arts world is.
Source: tatoeba (328297)
In Tatoeba, you gotta always listen to veteran members. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it.
Source: tatoeba (451582)
Suffering from terminal cancer, he was thrown out of a certain veteran hospital in New York three times because he adamantly rejected blood transfusions.
Source: tatoeba (509515)
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "veteran"?
Closest matches include old hand, blase, campaigner, centenarian, champion.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "veteran"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.