as in veteran
a person with long experience in a specified area
with 25 years on the job, Vinnie was the old hand everyone went to with their problems
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Recent Examples of old hand
The sensation of a 3-year-old hand in mine is the physical embodiment of living happily ever after.
—
Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2026
On the television side, however, the winning series for excellence in period, sci-fi/fantasy, and contemporary costumes were all old hands.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2026
For Conan O’Brien, an old hand whose podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a big player in the field, witty banter and appropriately leading queries come naturally; O’Brien also has plenty of pals on, but has a knack for turning their back-and-forth into a deeper examination of their friendship.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The Osefo family is an old hand at meeting the pressure of high expectations and not simply because of the recent criminal allegations of insurance fraud.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for old hand
Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2026
On the television side, however, the winning series for excellence in period, sci-fi/fantasy, and contemporary costumes were all old hands.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2026
For Conan O’Brien, an old hand whose podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a big player in the field, witty banter and appropriately leading queries come naturally; O’Brien also has plenty of pals on, but has a knack for turning their back-and-forth into a deeper examination of their friendship.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
The Osefo family is an old hand at meeting the pressure of high expectations and not simply because of the recent criminal allegations of insurance fraud.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for old hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old hand
veteran
Noun
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Phillies legend Jimmy Rollins will manage the National League team and former MLB veteran Rickie Weeks will lead the American League team.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Brian Gutiérrez, the Mexican American who played a key role in the opener as South Africa was hit a with a red card while trying to stop him, and veteran Roberto Alvarado, who recorded an assist against South Africa, joined Rangel as Chivas starters in the opener.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Old hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20hand. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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