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
On the backfields of the Peoria Sports Complex, the 31-year-old former Cy Young winner struck out the side in one inning of work against the Mariners’ rookie-level affiliate.
—
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 5 June 2024
The slider did a lot of the work against the Rockies.
—Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 2 June 2024
Clinical trials have shown that cranberry pills need at least 36 milligrams (mg) of PAC to work against UTIs.13
Many cranberry supplements also contain a combination of other ingredients that may boost their ability to fight UTIs.
—Joni Sweet, Health, 1 June 2024
Using line or leader that’s too heavy can work against you two ways.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 May 2024
Again, the understandable demand that governments do something now can work against the logic of patient, long-term progress that is essential to a successful counterterrorism program.
—Richard English, TIME, 17 May 2024
Other nutrients work against each other, so consuming them at different times is best.
—Anne Cook Carroll, Verywell Health, 15 May 2024
The council president should be appointed by their peers, which is both more common across the country, and removes the incentive for the council president to work against the mayor.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
So far, the same antivirals used for the seasonal flu, such as Tamiflu, seem likely to work against H5N1.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 10 May 2024
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 5 June 2024
The slider did a lot of the work against the Rockies.
—Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 2 June 2024
Clinical trials have shown that cranberry pills need at least 36 milligrams (mg) of PAC to work against UTIs.13
Many cranberry supplements also contain a combination of other ingredients that may boost their ability to fight UTIs.
—Joni Sweet, Health, 1 June 2024
Using line or leader that’s too heavy can work against you two ways.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 May 2024
Again, the understandable demand that governments do something now can work against the logic of patient, long-term progress that is essential to a successful counterterrorism program.
—Richard English, TIME, 17 May 2024
Other nutrients work against each other, so consuming them at different times is best.
—Anne Cook Carroll, Verywell Health, 15 May 2024
The council president should be appointed by their peers, which is both more common across the country, and removes the incentive for the council president to work against the mayor.
—Baltimore Sun Media, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2024
So far, the same antivirals used for the seasonal flu, such as Tamiflu, seem likely to work against H5N1.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 10 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'work against (someone).' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 11 Jun. 2024.
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