die-hard

or die·hard

[ dahy-hahrd ]

/ ˈdaɪˌhɑrd /

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See synonyms for: die-hard / die-hards / die-hardism on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.

adjective

resisting vigorously and stubbornly to the last; stubborn.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of die-hard

First recorded in1835–45; noun, adj. use of verb phrase die hard

OTHER WORDS FROM die-hard

die-hardism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use die-hard in a sentence

There was plenty of talk about that, but then I heard it was put to bed and they came out with A Good Day to Die Hard.
‘24: Live Another Day’ Showrunners on the Finale, the Dangers of Drones, and Jack Bauer’s Future|Marlow Stern|July 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Merlino says she first noticed him on her Facebook feed and quickly became a die-hard Kohrs fan.
Castro Street’s Hot Cop Is the Batman to Sexy Mug Shot Guy’s Joker|Itay Hod|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bush, Carney said, could expand the pool of primary voters beyond the die-hard conservatives.
Tea Party to Jeb Bush: Don’t Tread On Us|David Freedlander|April 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Who knew that, yes, Die Hard was a novel before it was a movie?
Seriously, ‘Die Hard’ Was a Novel Before It Was a Movie and a Good One|Malcolm Jones|December 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Then Nothing Lasts Forever became Die Hard, Leland was renamed John McClane, and you know what happened next.
Seriously, ‘Die Hard’ Was a Novel Before It Was a Movie and a Good One|Malcolm Jones|December 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Whether the cook must die hard, or whether he meant the friend, Chip did not trouble to make plain.
The Happy Family|Bertha Muzzy Bower
Aye, as sailors say—‘To work hard, live hard, die hard an’ go to hell after all would be hard indeed!
The Viking Blood|Frederick William Wallace
That long fostered and passionately held creed would die hard.
A Pagan of the Hills|Charles Neville Buck
I'll direct you the road, and if you're lucky you'll find a Die-Hard about the village.
Huntingtower|John Buchan
We must remember that mendicancy is a very ancient institution in Italy, and that it will die hard, if it ever dies at all.
Roman Mosaics|Hugh Macmillan

British Dictionary definitions for die-hard

die-hard

noun

a person who resists change or who holds onto an untenable position or outdated attitude

(modifier) obstinately resistant to change

Derived forms of die-hard

die-hardism, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with die-hard

die hard

Take a long time to cease to exist or be dropped from consideration. For example, Old prejudices die hard, or The more radical parts of this proposal will die hard. This idiom alludes to struggling against physical death. [Late 1700s]

die-hard

or die·hard

Origin of die-hard

OTHER WORDS FROM die-hard

Words related to die-hard

How to use die-hard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for die-hard

Derived forms of die-hard

Other Idioms and Phrases with die-hard