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
Since one goal is to reduce the trade deficit, a stronger dollar could work against that.
—
Mike Patton, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
But the donut alignment didn’t work against Minnesota, and any reinforcements at center will likely have to come via trade.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 June 2025
From asking too soon to giving ultimatums, even minor missteps can work against you.
—Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 21 June 2025
And although not a member of NATO, Israel coordinates with the security bloc through a process called the Mediterranean Dialogue, which includes work against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for work against (someone)
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Mike Patton, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
But the donut alignment didn’t work against Minnesota, and any reinforcements at center will likely have to come via trade.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 26 June 2025
From asking too soon to giving ultimatums, even minor missteps can work against you.
—Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 21 June 2025
And although not a member of NATO, Israel coordinates with the security bloc through a process called the Mediterranean Dialogue, which includes work against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
—Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for work against (someone)
Cite this Entry
“Work against (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20against%20%28someone%29. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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