run against

Idioms  

1. Also, run up against or run into . Encounter something, especially a difficulty, unexpectedly. For example, We didn't know we'd run up against so much opposition , or He ran into trouble with his taxes . [Late 1300s]

2. Work against, as in Public sentiment ran against her . [Late 1300s]

3. Oppose for elective office, as in Susan decided to run against a very popular incumbent . This usage is a figurative application of running in a footrace. [First half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

A former adviser to Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh said Tuesday he will run against him in April elections, denouncing "democratic backsliding" in the small but highly strategic Horn of Africa nation.

From Barron's

Another freed prisoner on Saturday was Viktar Babaryka, who was arrested while preparing to run against Lukashenko in an election.

From The Wall Street Journal

Arteta's side are the only team left with a 100% record in the Champions League this season, after ending a five-game winless run against the German champions which stretched back to 2015.

From BBC

The game-changing restrictions, pushed by MLB and agreed to by sportsbook operators, seem to run against the rapidly expanding sports-betting industry — which has grown from $308 million wagered when it was first legalized in June 2018, to over $6 billion in August 2025.

From MarketWatch

It was the first time since May 2023 that the Gunners had failed to beat a promoted side in a Premier League match, ending a 14-game winning run against such teams.

From BBC