veteran

noun

vet·​er·​an ˈve-tə-rən How to pronounce veteran (audio)
ˈve-trən
Synonyms of veterannext
1
a
: a former member of the armed forces
b
: an old soldier of long service
2
: a person of long experience usually in some occupation or skill (such as politics or the arts)
veteran adjective

Synonyms of veteran

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Examples of veteran in a Sentence

a veteran of the political scene He's a 10-year veteran with the team.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The veterans, the pioneers who’ve been in organic cotton for decades, and the new faces arriving with fresh energy. — Bart Vollaard, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026 That meant the rookie out of Kansas would start the season as backup the signal-caller to ninth-year NFL veteran Baker Mayfield. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 Raiders general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady have been advocates about letting a rookie develop behind a veteran quarterback, which makes the team's decision to roll with Cousins unsurprising. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Many primary contests this year have featured veteran incumbents fending off newcomers, who have explicitly argued that many congressional members are too old. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for veteran

Word History

Etymology

Latin veteranus, from veteranus, adjective, old, of long experience, from veter-, vetus old — more at wether

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of veteran was in 1509

Browse Nearby Words

vetchworm
veteran
veteranize
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Cite this Entry

“Veteran.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veteran. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

veteran

noun
vet·​er·​an ˈvet-ə-rən How to pronounce veteran (audio)
ˈve-trən
1
: a person who has had long experience (as in politics or the arts)
2
: a former member of the armed forces especially during wartime
veteran adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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