Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

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.

See Examples For:

French knights were expensive, each man-at-arms the product of many years of training, his armor and warhorse a major investment.

From The Wall Street Journal May 19, 2026

She didn’t come back to the stage in a warhorse or a vanity project.

From Los Angeles Times May 5, 2026

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

The old Tory warhorse and the young Labour MP bonded over discussions on Christian theology.

From BBC Apr. 24, 2024

He wheeled his warhorse about and raised a hand.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training