against the grain

Idioms  

1. Opposed to one's inclination or preference, as in We followed the new supervisor's advice, though it went against the grain. This metaphor refers to the natural direction of the fibers in a piece of wood, called its grain; when sawed obliquely, or “against the grain,” the wood will tend to splinter. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see rub the wrong way.

---

Example Sentences

If a player goes against the grain, they might be out.

From BBC

Against the grain of much modern scholarship, Mr. Harpham maintains that it is “possible to describe the intellectual origins of American slavery almost without reference to skin color.”

From The Wall Street Journal

We should nurture them as an occasionally irresponsible group that can go against the grain of society and pronounce hard truths.

From Salon

"She's also not really going against the grain. She's saying the same thing as the men."

From BBC

“Against the grain of bland modern R&B, D’Angelo preserved the Gospel essence of early soul music, mixing it with every other genre of Black music without ever leaving the church,” Leeds said in an Oct.

From Salon

Related Words

• afraid
• averse
• compelled
• evasive
• forced
• loath
• reluctant
• resistant
• unenthusiastic