old habits die hard

American

[ohld hab-its dahy hahrd] / ˈoʊld ˈhæb ɪts ˈdaɪ ˈhɑrd /

idiom

(used when someone is finding it difficult to change a long-standing pattern of behavior).

I still have to consciously work on slowing down when I eat—old habits die hard.

Etymology

Origin of old habits die hard

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

Old habits die hard when winning becomes the norm, but sometimes key decisions are taken out of your hands.

From BBC

Meanwhile old habits die hard.

From BBC

“Old habits die hard,” said Robin Xing, Morgan Stanley’s chief China economist, who expects deflation in the country to continue at least through this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two reality-check losses have shown old habits die hard.

From Los Angeles Times

“Old habits die hard, and traditions are really sacred. These college programs, they’re older than most pro teams. You have such fervent loyal, passionate, engaged fans. There’s definitely a segment of fan bases at some schools that have some pause.”

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023