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
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
And the moderates, who signed onto this deal, also very much represent the old guard of the party.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
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
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W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 13 Nov. 2025
And the moderates, who signed onto this deal, also very much represent the old guard of the party.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
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
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 23 Nov. 2025.
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