- a variation of die-hard.
diehard
Americanadjective
noun
-
diehards
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
He doesn’t think enthusiasm will be a problem; Horton considers himself a diehard Lakers fan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
I can imagine diehard Green Lantern fans firing up their rebuttals as they read this.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
"Before we could even represent Curacao on such a big stage, for decades a large part have been diehard fans of the Dutch team," said De Jong.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
The hometown pride runs deepest for Heidi Gardner, Saturday Night Live star and diehard Kansas City fan, who often returns home with undiminished enthusiasm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
It’s as if they’re a group of diehard Yankees fans at a baseball game.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
For “Ted Lasso” diehards, his leadership position in this new chapter was never in doubt; anything else would mess with its winning formula.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
Earlier this month, Mamdani dropped by the Throwing Fits show, a podcast produced by a pair of menswear diehards, where the discourse usually centers around vintage windbreakers, not transit policy.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2025
The fallout from England's dismal exit was loud among the diehards but outside of that?
From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2025
“The audience definitely runs the full gamut, from people with a general curiosity to diehards who claim experiences with aliens,” Janix said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
But hiking has always been a marginal pursuit in America, and within a few years the AT was once more largely forgotten except among a few diehards and eccentrics.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
