run against
Idioms-
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]
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Work against, as in Public sentiment ran against her . [Late 1300s]
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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]
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 two had previously run against each other in the 2024 GOP primary, with Gonzales narrowly beating Herrera in a runoff.
From Slate • Mar. 9, 2026
Bruno Fernandes' close-range finish in the 81st minute ended an eight-game winless run against Tottenham for United, who cemented their hold on fourth place in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League.
From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026
Adam Miller, co-founder of Better Angels, a nonprofit focused on preventing homelessness and building affordable housing, filed paperwork on Wednesday to run against Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2 primary election.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2026
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 • Dec. 13, 2025
Riddle did not believe that Seabiscuit was in War Admiral’s league and may have felt that by agreeing to run against a western horse in a match race, he would be demeaning his colt.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
