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
Ideological perfectionism can work against you today.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 20 July 2025
The apocalyptic forces that work against amusement parks, neglect and fires, did their handiwork.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
Lubchansky’s sophomore graphic novel explores the limits of utopian separatism, the downsides to trying to work against an oppressive system from the inside, and how communities can defend themselves and win.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Adding McMillan to a room with Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen gives Young plenty to work with, while allowing McMillan time to develop route nuance and his work against physical corners.
—Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for work against (someone)
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Usa Today, USA Today, 20 July 2025
The apocalyptic forces that work against amusement parks, neglect and fires, did their handiwork.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
Lubchansky’s sophomore graphic novel explores the limits of utopian separatism, the downsides to trying to work against an oppressive system from the inside, and how communities can defend themselves and win.
—Literary Hub
july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
Adding McMillan to a room with Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen gives Young plenty to work with, while allowing McMillan time to develop route nuance and his work against physical corners.
—Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 30 July 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 19 Aug. 2025.
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