against the grain

idiom

: different from what is normal or usual

It takes courage to go against the grain and stand up for what you believe in.

Examples of against the grain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That means Trump's team may be looking for a juror who is willing to go against the grain and prevent consensus. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024

So the style of her hair had to be against the grain of the texture of her hair; the color had to really not suit my skin tone. —Elaina Patton, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2024

Thinly slice the meat against the grain and place on a serving platter. —Lucinda Scala Quinn, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024

The latter victory proved beyond all doubt that Swiatek has the hard streak of a champion, fighting against the grain when a break down at 0-2 and 3-4 in the final set. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

Finally, slice the steak against the grain to make sure every bite is delicious. —Pati Jinich, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024

Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. —Emily Weinstein, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024

Finish it off by slicing against the grain and serving with sauce. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2024

Going into the finale, there were five women, with Ben and Luke both choosing two finalists, while Wes decided to go against the grain by only taking one woman through to the finale (a first in the show's history). —Alexandra Koster, refinery29.com, 19 Dec. 2023