against

1 of 2

preposition

ə-ˈgen(t)st How to pronounce against (audio)
-ˈgin(t)st,
-ˈgān(t)st
1
a
: in opposition or hostility to
spoke against his enemies
b
: not in conformity with : contrary to
against the law
c
: in competition with
racing against each other
d
: as a basis for disapproval of
had nothing against him
2
a
: directly opposite : facing
… she sat down just over against me …Daniel Defoe
b
obsolete : exposed to
3
: compared or contrasted with
profits are up against last year
4
a
: in preparation or provision for
saving against an uncertain future
b
: as a defense or protection from
a shelter against the cold
5
a
: in the direction of and into contact with
knocked against the ropes
b
: in contact with
leaning against the wall
6
: in a direction opposite to the motion or course of : counter to
sail against the wind
7
a
: as a counterbalance to
weighing risk against profit
b
: in exchange for
a lower rate against the dollar
c
: as a charge on
charged against her account
8
: before the background of
viewed against the sky

against

2 of 2

conjunction

archaic
: in preparation for the time when
… throw on another log of wood against father comes home.Charles Dickens

Examples of against in a Sentence

Preposition We must continue the struggle for justice and against injustice. She voted against the proposal. He spoke against appeasing the enemy. Some people were for the proposal but others were against it. There's a law against doing that. two runners racing against each other Touching the ball with your hands is against the rules.
Recent Examples on the Web
Preposition
The family of a producer who was killed while covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine has filed a lawsuit against Fox News, saying the network’s negligence resulted in her death. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Social media video emerged of the tornado looming eerily against graying skies at dusk. Scott Dance, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 These actions led to federal charges against Whitehead for financial fraud, extortion, and lying to federal authorities. Melissa Noel, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 Historians like to point to the 1860s, when the future face of our $5 bill attempted to preserve our union while brother fought against brother — or even more recently, 1968, that annus horriblis of riots and assassinations and moral free-falls — as the rock bottom of our nation. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom and shower in the Lake Room at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 Last Friday, the state of Wisconsin dropped all criminal charges against Hsiung and two other animal-rights activists who had broken into Ridglan Farms, a facility that breeds beagles for animal-testing laboratories, in 2017. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 The first protester came down the aisle and identified themselves as a theater artist who was speaking out against speaking about the lack of response to climate change. Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Elsewhere, Harry Kane will return to north London for the first time since leaving Tottenham for Bayern Munich last summer after the Bavarians were drawn on Friday against Arsenal in the quarterfinals. Matias Grez, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'against.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Middle English ayenest, ayenst, ayeinst, agaynste, alteration (with parasitic -t, perhaps originally from partial assimilation to a following article) of ayeines, ageynes, from ayein, ageyn again + -es -'s

Conjunction

Middle English, derivative of against against entry 1

First Known Use

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of against was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near against

Cite this Entry

“Against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/against. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

against

preposition
ə-ˈgen(t)st,
-ˈgin(t)st,
-ˈgān(t)st
1
a
: opposed to
a campaign against disease
play against each other
b
: contrary to
against the law
2
: opposite entry 4
over against the park
3
a
: in preparation for
storing food against the winter
b
: as a protection from
a shield against aggression
4
: in or into contact with
ran against a tree
leaning against the wall
5
: in a direction opposite to
against the wind
6
: before the background of
green trees against the blue sky

More from Merriam-Webster on against

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