Synonym Chooser

How is the word inveterate distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words chronic and confirmed are common synonyms of inveterate. While all three words mean "firmly established," inveterate applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence as to be practically ineradicable or unalterable.

an inveterate smoker

Where would chronic be a reasonable alternative to inveterate?

The words chronic and inveterate can be used in similar contexts, but chronic suggests something that is persistent or endlessly recurrent and troublesome.

a chronic complainer

In what contexts can confirmed take the place of inveterate?

The meanings of confirmed and inveterate largely overlap; however, confirmed implies a growing stronger and firmer with time so as to resist change or reform.

a confirmed bachelor

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inveterate An inveterate traveler who had explored 60-plus countries and often incorporated historical art and cultural references into her designs, McFadden died in September at the age of 85. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025 My wife and younger son, however, are inveterate puzzle solvers. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025 An inveterate performer, Carvey gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout his sketches. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2025 Cecilia Rodriguez is a professional journalist and inveterate traveler covering Culture and Travel trends in Europe. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inveterate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inveterate
Adjective
  • Jerami Grant came off the bench for 29 points, hitting 4-of-7 from deep, while Deni Avdija added 20 points and Shaedon Sharpe tossed in 15.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez deliberately aimed deep passes to both wings.
    The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Mindfulness is also helpful for people with chronic stress.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Rising seas also are projected to cause chronic flooding at coastal military bases in the coming decades, with half of coastal bases each facing 270 or more flood events every year, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
    Ames Alexander, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Comparable in size to the Arc de Triomphe, the Porte Monumentale also contained surface ornamentation based on Haeckel’s exacting lifelong documentation of organisms to be found in the world’s oceans.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The organizations say the policy is meant to keep facilities focused on lifelong care rather than creating new animals for display.
    Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • It's designed to match players of similar skills into game lobbies and create a gameplay experience that doesn't pit new or casual players against hard-core players or pros who will likely annihilate them.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Talking of characters who make an impact, Deadline asks Andreatta about Rocco Siffredi, the hardcore pornstar who was the subject of last year’s drama series Supersex.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The outcome, with no legal means to be overturned, further cements Biya’s decades-long grip on power and underscores the resilience of Cameroon’s entrenched political system, largely based on patronage.
    Amindeh Blaise Atabong, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Yet, despite his deeply entrenched presence in the pageant and rush scenes, for the most part, Alverson fell into this line of pageant coaching unintentionally.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For variegated types, that’s actually the preferred way, since rooted cuttings often send up new shoots that are just plain green.
    The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • With establishing shots of the majestic Armenian highlands, the documentary makes a concerted effort to trace the deep-rooted mythos of this ancestral land before delving into its subjects.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As of Wednesday morning, there are no confirmed dates for the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championships — which is typically held in April — and no international break earmarked in the league’s calendar for the event.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The rich, citrusy steak option is available only temporarily, with no confirmed end date.
    Ben Kelly, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inveterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inveterate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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