gang-up

American

[gang-uhp] / ˈgæŋˌʌp /

noun

an act of ganging up or uniting in opposition to someone or something.

gang up British

verb

informal to combine in a group (against)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

gang up Idioms

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]

Etymology

Origin of gang-up

1935–40; noun use of verb phrase gang up ( on )

Example Sentences

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

Translation by one of his aides: "No gang-up on the Americans."

From Time Magazine Archive

Under present law, such a labor gang-up would seem to be patently illegal.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023