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

Peters has used the spotlight to redirect focus onto many in this old guard. —Grace Byron, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2025

But Jackson, a 26-year old guard, has been exactly what the Pacers have needed. —Tony East, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

The blueprint stands clear: mix tech with community love, scale smart, and watch beauty's old guard play catch-up to the new brands like LAMIK that are redefining the industry. —Kori Hale, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Following Friday’s deadline, seven candidates split between political newcomers and the city’s old guard have qualified to appear on the April 8 special election ballot, while 11 candidates have submitted applications to fill the leadership void in an interim capacity. —Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for old guard

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard