as in establishment
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.
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Recent Examples of old guard
The party liberals — particularly younger voices, in Congress and outside of it — are increasingly disillusioned with how the Democrats’ old guard is managing the high-stakes battle against President Trump, who is using his second term to dismantle the conventions of law and government.
—
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 12 May 2025
The election is shaping up to be a battle between the party's old guard and a crop of younger lawmakers looking to bypass the seniority system to put up a more vigorous opposition to the Trump administration.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 6 May 2025
Listen to this article A Democratic intraparty feud deepened Thursday as the Democratic National Committee warned Vice Chairman David Hogg to stop openly backing primary challengers to sitting lawmakers from the party’s aging old guard.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
Some reformist party members openly criticized Yoon’s actions and cast ballots to impeach him, triggering a feud with the party’s old guard who supported the president.
—Time, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for old guard
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 12 May 2025
The election is shaping up to be a battle between the party's old guard and a crop of younger lawmakers looking to bypass the seniority system to put up a more vigorous opposition to the Trump administration.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 6 May 2025
Listen to this article A Democratic intraparty feud deepened Thursday as the Democratic National Committee warned Vice Chairman David Hogg to stop openly backing primary challengers to sitting lawmakers from the party’s aging old guard.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2025
Some reformist party members openly criticized Yoon’s actions and cast ballots to impeach him, triggering a feud with the party’s old guard who supported the president.
—Time, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for old guard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old guard
establishment
Noun
-
Foxx has centered her criticism on establishment Democrats circling the wagons for establishment candidates, noting that three senior Democratic members of Congress died within the first six months of Trump’s second term, handing Republicans a larger advantage.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Thiel had helped found Palantir, which was transforming the American defense establishment by integrating computer operations and simplifying tasks like tracking and destroying enemy targets.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Old guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old%20guard. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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