the old guard

noun

: the usually older members of an organization (such as a political party) who do not want or like change

She's not popular with the old guard.

(US) The old guard is stronger than ever.

(British) The old guard are stronger than ever.

Examples of the old guard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pelosi's announcement ended months of speculation over whether the former House speaker intended to retire from politics altogether, during a time when a contingent of Democrats is eager to shed the old guard and embrace younger candidates. —Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

To be clear, there is no sense that Rondón and Ugás are defending the old guard or suggesting that a docile, starving population pinioned under the grip of a dictatorship is big-picture preferable to a rebellious insurgency. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025

While many citizens had hoped for a change, the results confirm continuity with the old guard rather than a shift. —Amindeh Blaise Atabong, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025

Three of the schools that joined the Big 12 in the summer of 2023 are on the top tier of the standings as the old guard struggles. —Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for the old guard

• bodyguard
• boulevard
• disregard
• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard