Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to die hard

to die hard

34 7.3
To last for a long time even when people try to stop or change it
  • phrasal verb
  • /daɪ hɑrd/
: ser difícil de cambiar
  • Well, as you say, old habits die hard.
  • habits die hard
  • old ways die hard

Old habits and old personality patterns die hard.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

to persist
vsto die hard
80 3.5

To keep existing for a long time, often longer than expected

stresses survival despite active attempts to change or eliminate belief
to endure
vsto die hard
46 3.6

To continue to exist for a long time despite problems

emphasizes surviving despite active opposition aiming to stop it
to prevail
vsto die hard
16 5.3

To continue to exist and be used or accepted over time

focuses on surviving because people keep believing despite attempts to end it

Antonyms

to fade away
86 3.0

To become weaker and then disappear over time

to die out
44 3.7

To stop existing over time, for example animals or traditions

How Persistent

to die hard
34 7.3
to endure
46 3.6
to persist
80 3.5
to linger
215 3.7
to fade
454 1.2

Surface Forms

die hard infinitive
died hard past
died hard past participle
dying hard present participle
dies hard third person singular

Morphology

die + hard

A B1 learner who knows 'die' and the adverbial sense of 'hard' ('with difficulty') can plausibly infer 'die hard' as 'to die with difficulty' → i.e. to persist or be slow to disappear. The phrase is somewhat idiomatic in usage and requires recognizing the non-literal, resultative reading of 'hard', so it is partially predictable but not fully transparent.

Etymology

Die hard comes from the image of a hunted animal that fights and takes a long time to die; it seems to 'die hard' by holding on even when hurt. That's why we use it for a habit or idea that is 'hard to stop'.