work against (someone)

phrasal verb

worked against (someone); working against (someone); works against (someone)
: to contribute to a negative result for someone : make something less likely to happen for someone
Her lack of experience worked against her in the election.

Examples of work against (someone) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The elements often work against one another—that’s how a system keeps itself in check—and so their connections always need tuning up. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2025 With Edwards out of the picture, Dobbins should see a healthy share of work against a Patriots defense that is ranked No. 26 overall against the run. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024 Sunshine in a bottle Sunshine is something California sparkling wine producers have in abundance, and often must work against; new viticultural techniques have made that prospect easier. Patrick Comiskey, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024 The administration could early on take other steps that work against the ACA, such as curtailing federal funding for outreach and help signing up for ACA plans. Julie Rovner, NPR, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for work against (someone) 

Dictionary Entries Near work against (someone)

Cite this Entry

“Work against (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20against%20%28someone%29. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!