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

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

Such an initiative would be a security nightmare, a potential diplomatic problem, and likely to work against the political interests of the Biden administration. —The Editors, National Review, 3 May 2024

They were told to isolate and are recovering after being treated with flu antivirals, which seem to work against the virus, the CDC says. —Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 1 Apr. 2024

Now is the time to embrace more nimble strategies that cut costs and shorten procurement times, lest attrition work against the US and its allies. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024