as in establishments
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old guards
Noun
-
And multiple sports bars around the metro said Chiefs’ fans presence at their establishments had diminished before the team was officially out of the post-season.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Jan. 2026 -
Unlike virtually every other conflict since 2024 between a MAGA project and the old bipartisan establishments, this one hasn’t escalated.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Guards, bigs, everybody just has to rebound, box out and just run.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Jan. 2026
-
But going through opposing bigs to get to the cup is never going to be his specialty.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Old guards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20guards. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
