as in veterans
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 hands
And the old hands who know their way around the Washington labyrinth mostly see the Tech Hamiltonians as a menace to be thwarted, and so use their talent and knowledge to work against rather than for the new regime.
—
Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old hands
veterans
Noun
-
Go to veterans’ homes, go to military bases, and so forth.—
Lori A Bashian , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
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Despite his meteoric rise, Maye’s decision to drive a decade-old truck is reflective of the behaviors of a cadre of professional athletes and NFL veterans who have remained prudent with their earnings, even as their net worths skyrocket.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Old hands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20hands. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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