What does “changing of the guard” mean?

The phrase “changing of the guard” is used to refer to a situation in which there is a dramatic or big change, and a “changing of the guard” is basically a time in which new people are replacing other people in positions of importance.

Origin of the phrase “changing of the guard”

The phrase “changing of the guard” was originally used to refer to the event when the guards of Buckingham Palace (in England) would change so that new guards would replace them to take on a different shift. This event became an elaborate ceremony which people still watch today.

Here’s an example of it’s usage:

“Changing Of the Guard” In a Sentence



"Bob recently took over Tom's position as CEO of the company.
There is definitely a changing of the guard in this company."


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