die-hard

American  

[dahy-hahrd] / ˈdaɪˌhɑrd /

Or diehard

noun

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 a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.

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adjective

1. resisting vigorously and stubbornly to the last; stubborn.

die-hard British  

noun

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 a person who resists change or who holds onto an untenable position or outdated attitude

2. (modifier) obstinately resistant to change

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die hard Idioms  

1. 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]

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Other Word Forms

• die-hardism noun

Etymology

Origin of die-hard

First recorded in 1835–45; noun, adj. use of verb phrase die hard

Example Sentences

It was the sort of season that gets a reality TV die-hard considering the ethics of watching it all unfold.

From Los Angeles Times

With few restrictions for redeeming the rewards, die-hard shoppers have turned stacking the coupons into a sport.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even die-hard fans pay little attention to the second round of the draft, when surefire superstars are long gone and many players selected don’t even make their teams’ rosters.

From The Wall Street Journal

Such was the circus atmosphere of the place, according to Tom Freston, whose memoir, “Unplugged,” reveals how a team of die-hard believers turned music into television.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Cincinnati native and die-hard Bengals fan takes us along for his perfect Sunday in L.A., where he’s lived for more than 20 years.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abide
• combat
• confront
• continue
• curb
• defy
• endure
• forgo
• maintain
• prevent
• refuse
• repel
• thwart
• turn down