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
see also:
new guard

Examples of old guard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Lakers signed the 27-year-old guard for extra scoring punch and have missed him as a third ballhandling option to supplement Doncic and Austin Reaves. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 The prolific – and still very active – Bellocchio, who is 86, is considered the greatest living Italian director of the country’s old guard that came of age during the 1960s. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Ever since, support for Paxton from much of the party’s old guard has been grudging at best. — Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2026 Isaiah Joe was acquired in a trade with Oklahoma City, adding a 27-year-old guard whose 3-point shooting percentage ranked 10th in the NBA last year to improve one of Detroit's weaknesses. — CBS News, 28 Sep. 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

Rhymes for old guard

See All Rhymes for old guard

Browse Nearby Words

old-growth
old guard
old guardism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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