set in one's ways
4
7.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
terco
- Many older people tend to be set in their ways and resist trying new activities.
- very set in one's ways
- old and set in one's ways
- pretty set in one's ways
Examples
-
I believe that we need a guy like Romney who is not so set in his ways that he can compromise to get things done.
Blog text (14) -
He's set in his ways and he can't change.
Fiction book (2001) -
But they know, too, that both the James boys are mighty set in their ways.
-
Yet, David seems quite set in his ways, as if he has always acted the way he does.
Blog text (22) -
He's too set in his ways to change, so maybe you can try and understand him.
-
My mother was in her 40s when I was born and set in her ways.
Blog text (25) -
She is set in her ways, which are sometimes incorrect.
Blog text (1) -
Her grandson explains that she was set in her ways and politics wasn't something she thought about.
Blog text (13) -
Chief among the reasons Bowden was ousted was that he got too set in his ways and was too stubborn to make the necessary changes for the good of the program.
Blog text (26) -
In the novel, the protagonist, Fritz Kobus, 36, a solid citizen of Hunebourg with a well-deserved reputation for bonhomie, has a comfortable income but is very set in his ways.
Academic text (2000)
Synonyms
217
2.9
Not willing to change your mind even when others try to persuade you
16
7.5
Refusing to change your opinion or behavior even when others try to persuade you
11
4.7
Not willing to change or accept other ideas
6
6.7
Refusing to change your mind even when shown evidence
3
8.8
A person who refuses to change their opinion or behaviour even when others try to persuade them
2
9.5
Still holding old beliefs and unwilling to change
1
8.1
Not willing to change your mind or actions
1
9.9
Refusing to change beliefs or show regret, even when wrong
1
7.3
A person who insists on doing what they want and often disobeys others
Not willing to change your mind or what you do
Antonyms
How Stubborn
11
4.7
16
7.5
- Informal
4
7.2
80
3.7
155
3.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'set' (fixed) + 'in' (within) + 'one's ways' (one's habitual manner), so the overall meaning 'fixed in one's habits and unwilling to change' can be directly inferred from the parts. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows normal English noun-phrase + prepositional structure, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should understand it.
Etymology
Set in one's ways gives the picture of a person who is set—stuck or fixed—in their own ways or habits, like something placed firmly in a groove. So it means 'unwilling to change one's habits'.