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.
Fabian Kayser, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound, 17-year-old guard from Paderborn, Germany, is scheduled to make a men’s basketball recruiting visit to Kansas this week, The Star confirmed Tuesday night. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026 The 33-year-old guard signed a new deal, the team said Thursday. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, 23-year-old guard Brandin Podziemski is eligible to sign a contract extension. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 The reshuffle immediately drew thousands of protesters into the streets of Kyiv and other cities, framing Fedorov’s removal as Zelenskyy siding with an entrenched military old guard over a reformer. — ABC News, 22 July 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

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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 21 Aug. 2026.

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