at cross-purposes

idiom

: in a way that causes confusion or failure because people are working or talking with different goals or purposes
We'll never succeed together if we continue to work at cross-purposes (with each other).
It became clear that they were talking at cross-purposes.

Examples of at cross-purposes in a Sentence

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The two have been at cross-purposes for years, ignoring their hearts for a litany of reasons. EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025 The Fed’s Mandate However, Trump’s criticism is largely at cross-purposes with the Fed’s mandate. Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 Over the years, these groups have worked together and at cross-purposes, too, driven by competing visions of history. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 The fact that the session is filmed for consumption by the very public Alec claims to want to avoid does seem at cross-purposes with his expressed desire. Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for at cross-purposes

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Cite this Entry

“At cross-purposes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20cross-purposes. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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