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
This five-year-old bourbon stands with the best of the old guard in Kentucky and Tennessee.
—
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2025
Tax cuts on tipped wages and overtime as well as tariffs gained favor among many Republicans — all ideas that were anathema to the old guard.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Who says the old guard can’t evolve?
—Crai S Bower, Outside, 24 Nov. 2025
Yet that may not be enough cover for Schumer, who, with the announcement that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will retire from Congress in 2027, is the last member of the old guard still standing.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the old guard
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Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2025
Tax cuts on tipped wages and overtime as well as tariffs gained favor among many Republicans — all ideas that were anathema to the old guard.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Who says the old guard can’t evolve?
—Crai S Bower, Outside, 24 Nov. 2025
Yet that may not be enough cover for Schumer, who, with the announcement that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will retire from Congress in 2027, is the last member of the old guard still standing.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the old guard
Cite this Entry
“The old guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20old%20guard. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
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