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  • die-hard
    die-hard
    noun
    a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.
  • 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]
Synonyms

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 a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.

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 a person who resists change or who holds onto an untenable position or outdated attitude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

"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
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]

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of die-hard

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

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.

It was an overwhelming moment for Eilish, who has been a die-hard Belieber since she was a child.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Whitney isn’t such a die-hard fan anymore, but bought birthday tickets for her brother, who still connects with the art, if not the artist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Hockey is a great pick if you want something fast-paced and entertaining, even if you’re not a die-hard fan.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Residents Assn. is as die-hard a true believer as Bastian, and she went on for several minutes about music venues, farmers markets, dining, diversity and the sense of community.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

I'm a die-hard classic rock 'n' roll fan and love Bollywood music, of course.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

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.