die hard

[dahy-hahrd] / ˈdaɪˌhɑrd /

VERB

resist

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

STRONG

antagonize assail assault battle bear brook buck check contend counteract countervail dispute duel forbear hinder hold persevere persist refrain remain stay stonewall suffer traverse weather

WEAK

abstain from fight back hold off hold out against keep from leave alone put up a fight remain firm stand up to struggle against

Antonyms

STRONGEST

OK accept aid allow assist discontinue encourage help stop surrender

STRONG

abandon advance agree cease desert give in give up go indulge leave permit quit refuse reject

WEAK

comply conform go along

die-hard

ADJECTIVE

uncompromising

Synonyms

STRONGEST

old-line uncompromising

STRONG

ultraconservative unreconstructed

WEAK

conservative convinced dyed-in-the-wool extremist firm fogyish immovable inflexible intransigent orthodox philistine reactionary right standpat traditionalistic

Antonyms

WEAK

compromising conceding flexible

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.

Yet the saying has persisted because old patterns die hard.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Despite some confusion about the path forward, old habits apparently die hard.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

Men may no longer always be in such a majority, but perhaps old habits formed years ago, really do die hard.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

Professional football is America’s guilty pleasure—and guilty pleasures die hard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

It’s been her modus operandi since I met her, and old habits die hard.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland