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die-hard

die-hard

22 7.9
Very unwilling to accept change or new ideas
  • adjective
  • /ˈdaɪˌhɑrd/
translation icon : acérrimo
  • Many die-hard traditionalists resist any changes to the old customs.
  • die-hard fans

And so then when I see all of these just die hard evangelicals that are also equal parts die hard Trumpers, I'm like, I don't even think this guy's a Christian at all.

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Examples

  • He is a die-hard conservative who opposes new political ideas.

  • As a die-hard fan of classic literature, she rarely reads contemporary novels.

  • To the people who have been die hard fans of this show, it's full of grace.

  • People who are die hard sports fans, people who are die hard Disney fans, same thing.

  • Many of the die-hard workers were from those areas.

    Academic text (2018)
  • So it was a mix of die-hard fans and everyone else at the festival.

    Blog text (6)
  • Down on the beach, a few die-hard bathers were still in the water, even though the evening was turning cool.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • I'm a die-hard Star Trek fan and I'm trying to get everything before I die.

  • And Chicago has always been a die-hard football town but this team did something to our city that we've never gotten over.

  • The die-hard kids, teachers, and administrators who joined first helped recruit parents and staff to the task force.

    Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

stubborn
vsdie-hard
217 2.9

Not willing to change your mind even when others try to persuade you

is focused on resisting change specifically in beliefs and tradition
adamant
vsdie-hard
72 6.8

Not willing to change one's mind even when others disagree

is similar but emphasizes conservative tradition rather than personal firmness
rigid
vsdie-hard
70 4.2

Not willing to change ideas or ways of doing things

is chiefly about resisting new ideas, not only following rules
persistent
vsdie-hard
43 4.4

Continuing with an action despite problems or opposition

is about resisting change in beliefs rather than repeating actions
opinionated
vsdie-hard
30 5.5

Showing strong ideas and not willing to listen to others

is about resisting new ideas for traditional reasons rather than mere bias
hard-line
vsdie-hard
  • Literature
21 7.2

Firm and unwilling to change views or plans, often in politics

is general opposition to change and may apply beyond politics
obstinate
vsdie-hard
16 7.5

Refusing to change your opinion or behavior even when others try to persuade you

is similar but often implies political or traditional resistance
hardline
vsdie-hard
14 6.8

Very strict and unwilling to change policies or make compromises

focuses on firm resistance but not always political or policy based
inflexible
vsdie-hard
11 4.7

Not willing to change or accept other ideas

applies this firmness to traditional beliefs rather than all situations
intransigent
vsdie-hard
8 8.1

Not willing to change views or agree with others

focuses on refusal to compromise rather than political conservatism specifically
hardheaded
vsdie-hard
6 6.7

Refusing to change your mind even when shown evidence

does the same but with a clear stance favoring tradition
set in one's ways
vsdie-hard
  • Informal
4 7.2

Not willing to change habits or the way they do things

focuses on traditionalist resistance to new ideas, not only habits
obdurate
vsdie-hard
3 8.8

A person who refuses to change their opinion or behaviour even when others try to persuade them

is about holding to traditional views rather than mere personal stubbornness
hard-core
vsdie-hard
3 7.5

Unwilling to change bad habits or beliefs

is similar but highlights traditionalist beliefs rather than general stubbornness
unreconstructed
vsdie-hard
2 9.5

Still holding old beliefs and unwilling to change

is firm resistance to new ideas rather than mere habit
rock-ribbed
vsdie-hard
  • US
1 9.8

A person with very firm political beliefs who does not change

is more general stubborn resistance not limited to politics
unregenerate
vsdie-hard
1 9.9

Refusing to change beliefs or show regret, even when wrong

is about resisting change and clinging to traditional views
stiff-necked
vsdie-hard
1 8.1

Not willing to change your mind or actions

is similar but often used for strong traditional or moral stance
archconservative
vsdie-hard
1 8.4

Very traditional in politics and strongly against change

is about resisting change strongly rather than focusing on politics
dinosaurian
vsdie-hard
  • Offensive
9.1

Very old-fashioned and against change

is about strong refusal to accept new ideas in any context
unprogressive
vsdie-hard
7.7

Not willing to accept new ideas and slow to change

expresses strong resistance to change, often rooted in tradition
as stubborn as an anvil
vsdie-hard
  • Informal
9.2

Refusing to change an opinion even when people give reasons

is similar in meaning but functions as a vivid informal idiom
as stubborn as all get-out
vsdie-hard
  • Informal
9.6

Very unwilling to change their mind

means the same strong resistance but is casual and idiomatic

How Resistant

fanatical
30 6.8
die-hard
22 7.9
resistant
20 4.3
conservative
4.6
traditional
994 1.5

Surface Forms

die-hard positive

Morphology

die-hard = die + hard (opaque) = die + hard

The combination of 'die' and 'hard' does not transparently convey the meaning of 'stubbornly resistant to change'.

Etymology

Die-hard comes from a strong image: the two parts die ('to stop living') and hard ('very difficult') show someone who would only die after a tough fight. It was first used about soldiers who refused to give up, so die-hard now means a person who stubbornly resists change.