odds are stacked against (someone)

phrase

—used to describe a situation in which someone does not have a good or fair chance of winning, succeeding, etc.

She felt the odds are stacked against her.

Examples of odds are stacked against (someone) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As cruel as the division format is, this Wild team is more than up to the challenge, even if the odds are stacked against them. — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026

Playing football taught me that cockiness is the only thing that protects you when the odds are stacked against you. — Samyra, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026

The odds are stacked against independent and specialty films capturing audience attention. — Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025

With boxes full of kitchen gear arriving at the office practically every single day for our team of kitchen obsessives to put through the wringer, the odds are stacked against any particular item finding a stable spot as a favorite. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025