go against

verb

went against; gone against; going against; goes against
1
: to not agree with (something)
I won't do anything that goes against my conscience/beliefs/principles.
values that go against those of society
2
: to oppose (someone or something)
He was surprised when some of his former supporters went against him.
He was reluctant to go against his parents' wishes.
3
: to compete against (a player or team) in a contest or game
The Red Sox will be going against the Yankees in tonight's game.
4
: to not be good for (someone) : to not produce the result that is wanted by (someone)
Everything seemed to be going against her but she didn't give up hope.
The verdict went against the defendant.

Examples of go against in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was pride in defeat by the same scoreline in the return leg at Anfield when big moments went against them, but the gulf in class across the tie was unmistakable. James Pearce, New York Times, 28 May 2026 But the vote went against the UC Academic Senate’s own Standardized Testing Task Force, which said use of test scores could actually boost admission rates for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and school districts. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026 The Charleston Mercury claimed the tariffs in effect enslaved South Carolinians to a policy that went against their economic interests, particularly because the tariffs had an adverse effect on the state’s main commodity, cotton. Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026 Fernandez didn’t mince words in his statement and accused Lago, Anderson and Lara of using authoritarian tactics to silence and hurt those who go against them. Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for go against

Cite this Entry

“Go against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20against. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster