diehard
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Explanation
A diehard is a person who likes things a certain way and doesn't want them to change — or who sticks to an opinion no matter what. If everyone in your family is a Democrat except your cousin, you might call him a Republican diehard. A diehard will hold fast to her ideas, views, or opinions even in the face of opposition. You could call yourself a diehard if you insist on sticking to the same recipes for Thanksgiving dinner that your grandmother always made, especially if your siblings keep lobbying to add new dishes to the menu. The word diehard dates from the 19th century, and it originally referred to a tough soldier in a certain British Army regiment.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As for everyone else, including her most diehard critics, she hopes they can still appreciate her fiction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026
It’s very obvious to this USC diehard fan, Lincoln Riley is not delivering on his commitment to restore Trojans football to national prominence as head coach.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2026
That’s because most of the news stories about this box set completely buried the lede, and I had to wait for a diehard fan to post about it.
From Salon • Dec. 9, 2025
The Athletic added in a Friday report that the two negotiators “remain far apart” on their respective demands, frustrating the YouTube TV viewers who make up “some of the most diehard NFL fans anywhere.”
From Slate • Nov. 10, 2025
It’s as if they’re a group of diehard Yankees fans at a baseball game.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
