old habits die hard

phrase

—used to say it is hard to stop doing things that one has been doing for a long time

I just can't seem to give up smoking. Old habits die hard.

Examples of old habits die hard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Except old habits die hard and the SEC, leaning into its history, refuses to yield. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Because public perception drives point spreads and old habits die hard. — Greg Cote january 8, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026

If the role has evolved in that respect, some old habits die hard. — Stuart James, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

But after a long political career, including two terms as mayor of Panama City, old habits die hard. — Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025

Even as Japan’s government tries to ease the pressure – drafting legislation to prevent death and injury from excessive work hours, and introducing a four-day workweek for Tokyo government employees – old habits die hard. — Jessie Yeung, CNN, 12 Feb. 2025

But old habits die hard — as agonizingly as old teams with too many bad contracts do. — Zac Jackson, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

Rhymes for old habits die hard

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard