old guard
noun
variants
or less commonly Old Guard
1
: the conservative and especially older members of an organization (such as a political party)
2
: a group of established prestige and influence
compare new guard
Examples of old guard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The changes are rooted at least in part in a generation of younger Democrats who have sought to challenge the party’s old guard.
—
Yash Roy, The Hill, 10 July 2024
In turn, Myanmar’s old guard will maintain a strong influence on the parliament—the 110 military members of parliament provide an effective veto over any amendments to the constitution, which requires more than 75 percent of the parliamentary vote to change.
—Francis Wade, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2015
Goodbye, old guard Historical look at gas prices, according to AAA
Why gas is a gauge for other economic issues
Gas prices, though often at the whim of the global market, are a relatable issue for voters, Franklin said.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 18 July 2024
That puts him at odds with most of the Senate’s old guard, both liberal and conservative, that had their own fierce debates over foreign policy during the post-9/11 era while maintaining that the United States plays a crucial role in defending democracy around the world.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for old guard 
Yash Roy, The Hill, 10 July 2024
In turn, Myanmar’s old guard will maintain a strong influence on the parliament—the 110 military members of parliament provide an effective veto over any amendments to the constitution, which requires more than 75 percent of the parliamentary vote to change.
—Francis Wade, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2015
Goodbye, old guard Historical look at gas prices, according to AAA
Why gas is a gauge for other economic issues
Gas prices, though often at the whim of the global market, are a relatable issue for voters, Franklin said.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 18 July 2024
That puts him at odds with most of the Senate’s old guard, both liberal and conservative, that had their own fierce debates over foreign policy during the post-9/11 era while maintaining that the United States plays a crucial role in defending democracy around the world.
—Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for old guard
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'old guard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Old guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old%20guard. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.
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