new wine in an old bottle
The idiom "new wine in an old bottle" illustrates the tension or challenges that arise when modern ideas or innovations are introduced within an outdated or traditional framework.
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Definition
C1General
(idiomatic)Introducing modern ideas or innovations into an established but outdated framework.
Example
- The new management's strategies felt like new wine in an old bottle, causing friction with the company's long-standing practices.
- Updating the curriculum without changing the teaching methods is like putting new wine in an old bottle.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "new wine in an old bottle":