against the grain

idiom

: different from what is normal or usual
It takes courage to go against the grain and stand up for what you believe in.

Examples of against the grain in a Sentence

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Serve Steak with Arugula and Sauce Cut the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Erin Hooker, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2025 Stone often wrote against the grain of the patriarchy, sexism, xenophobia, manifest destiny, and colonialism that characterized many other efforts the field. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 Feb. 2025 Murkowski, Collins and Mitch McConnell showed their willingness to go against the grain by voting against Pete Hegseth on the floor, who still then got confirmed as Defense Secretary, with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Victoria Knight, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025 Slice steaks: Cut steaks crosswise against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices; sprinkle with flaky salt, if desired. Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for against the grain

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Cite this Entry

“Against the grain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/against%20the%20grain. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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