die-hard

Or die·hard

[dahy-hahrd]

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 a person who vigorously maintains or defends a seemingly hopeless position, outdated attitude, lost cause, or the like.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

noun

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 a person who resists change or who holds onto an untenable position or outdated attitude

2. (modifier) obstinately resistant to change

Other Word Forms

• die-hardism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of die-hard¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

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.

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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.

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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.

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As good as she is on her own — and for all the torment she knows another relationship is likely to hold — “I’m a die-hard loyalist,” Diaz says.

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Georgian Dream still firmly in power, die-hard activists undeterred.

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Related Words

• old-line 
• uncompromising