Also, gang up with . Act together as a group. For example, The residents ganged up to make the neighborhood safer . [ Colloquial ; c. 1920]
. Join in opposition or attack against, as in The big kids were always ganging up on the little ones , or They all ganged up against the substitute teacher . [1920s]
1935–40; noun use of verb phrase gang up ( on )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The good news is there is a way to disable the gang-up tactic.
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2024
The maid of honor is scared of broaching this subject, but if we all do it together, does that feel like a gang-up?
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2021
Under present law, such a labor gang-up would seem to be patently illegal.
From Time Magazine Archive
Translation by one of his aides: "No gang-up on the Americans."
From Time Magazine Archive
Club suddenly gave the New York World-Telegram the club's-eye view of the gang-up.
From Time Magazine Archive
In the 2011 comedy “Horrible Bosses,” three friends gang up against their bosses—all different versions of horrible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025
"Canada and Mexico want to show unity, without appearing to gang up on the US."
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025
One swimmer witnessed an entire lane at Green Lake’s Evans Pool gang up against a guy who was drafting off others and touching a girl’s feet.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 1, 2023
“Having two older brothers, they’re going to gang up on their little sister,” Rubin said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2021
If we could get them to gang up on the Fish and Wildlife Department, there’s no way the wardens wouldn’t cave.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
