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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.

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

Seeded 11th, it's stacked with India's brightest teen grandmasters - R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, Nihal Sarin, Raunak Sadhwani and the 2014 medal edition warhorse, B Adhiban.

From BBC • Jul. 27, 2022

Can a 37-year-old warhorse summon 10 more great pitches?

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 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

It was too nice a saddle not to use, made especially for the warhorse.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

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.