Synonyms for
Veins
Definition
Veins are the blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Formal
Literary
Antonyms
Common collocations
- blood veins
- veins of the hand
- veins of the leg
- dilated veins
- ruptured veins
- veins of a leaf
- veins of marble
Word family
Usage note
In anatomy, 'veins' specifically refer to vessels carrying deoxygenated blood towards the heart, contrasting with 'arteries' which carry oxygenated blood away. Figuratively, 'veins' can refer to lines or patterns.
Example sentences
- The doctor used a stethoscope to listen to the veins in my arm.
- The spider's web looked like a network of veins.
- The blue veins in the marble countertop were very striking.
- She had varicose veins that made her legs ache.
- The blood clot was blocking a vein in his lung.
Quotes
The veins of men are like their leaves, they wither and die. - Thomas Otway
The veins of a business are the channels through which its life-blood flows. - Andrew Carnegie
The veins are nature's highways; by them she carries to each part of the body the materials for its growth and repair. - William Harvey