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warhorse

American  
[wawr-hawrs] / ˈwɔrˌhɔrs /
Or war-horse,

noun

  1. a horse used in war; charger.

  2. Informal. a veteran, as a soldier or politician, of many struggles and conflicts.

  3. a musical composition, play, etc., that has been seen, heard, or performed excessively.

warhorse British  
/ ˈwɔːˌhɔːs /

noun

  1. a horse used in battle

  2. informal a veteran soldier, politician, or elderly person, esp one who is aggressive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of warhorse

First recorded in 1645–55; war 1 + horse

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The warhorse Wawrinka departed for a medical timeout after the third set as his Melbourne escapades caught up with him.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026

What position you play is also a factor - Youngs and Care are scrum-halves and Goode and Brown full-backs - with warhorse prop Cole something of an outlier.

From BBC • May 29, 2025

In his hands, even a warhorse such as the “Funeral March” — the third movement of Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 — could sound new and revelatory.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2021

Kim kicked off the season on Aug. 21 with Puccini’s “Tosca,” a warhorse that is a sentimental favorite for the company.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 23, 2021

So he’d borrowed a warhorse and some plate from Lord Dondarrion’s armory and entered the lists at Black- haven as a mystery knight.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.