you can't teach an old dog new tricks

idiom

used to say that a person who is old or is used to doing things in a certain way cannot learn or does not want to learn a new way
I tried to get my mother to start using a computer, but she says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

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Cite this Entry

“You can't teach an old dog new tricks.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/you%20can%27t%20teach%20an%20old%20dog%20new%20tricks. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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