old guard

noun

variants or less commonly Old Guard
Synonyms of old guardnext
1
: the conservative and especially older members of an organization (such as a political party)
2
: a group of established prestige and influence
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Examples of old guard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The 27-year-old guard returned to the starting lineup for Game 6, with Luke Kennard – who failed to make a shot on Wednesday – resuming a reserve role. Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 2 May 2026 After a five-month, 120-game regular season featuring record crowds, women’s hockey enjoying a significant post-Olympic boost and with more expansion on the horizon, the Walter Cup playoff semifinalists are made up exclusively of the league’s old guard. John Wawrow, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026 Enter Ayo Dosunmu, the 26-year-old guard who came their way with forward Julian Phillips via trade with Chicago at the February trade deadline for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks. Sam Amick, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 Carvajal was part of Venezuela’s old guard, close to the late President Hugo Chávez since their days in the army. Max Saltman, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for old guard

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of old guard was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Old guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old%20guard. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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