run counter to

Idioms  

1. Be in conflict with, oppose, as in Practice often runs counter to theory. This idiom, first recorded in 1843, uses counter in the sense of “in an opposite direction.”

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Example Sentences

It's an argument that appears to run counter to recent calls to make some foods more affordable.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

Then again, the broad stock market has been performing well, for the most part, over the past decade, and this year’s action has run counter to that warning.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

But the implications, in his view, also run counter to Warsh’s.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Police leaders, civil rights advocates and other experts say the actions of immigration officials and agents run counter to law enforcement’s best practices.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

The wearing of white buckskin boots was one of the privileges of the First Eleven, and Linklater had run counter to custom and habit again.

From "Pip" A Romance of Youth by Hay, Ian

Related Words

• argue
• assail
• attack
• debate
• defy
• deny
• disagree
• dispute
• face
• fight
• prevent
• protest
• resist