up against

Idioms  

1. Contending or confronted with, as in I'm up against a strong opponent in this election. This idiom is also put as up against it, which means “in serious difficulty, especially in desperate financial straits.” For example, When the collection agency called again, we knew we were up against it. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

up against

At Old Trafford, Powell will come up against the club he coached for a season and a half before his exit midway through the 2023 campaign.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

According to Thierry Poibeau, these detection systems also run up against a "moving target problem" because AI programs are "constantly evolving".

From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026

Here we see the real history butting up against the expected fantasy of Norse legends, warriors and gods.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

The U.S. dollar ticked up against rivals after Richmond Federal Reserve President Tom Barkin warned a single rate hike might not be enough to tame inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Have I stumbled up against the lair of one of those flame-breathing dragon monsters?

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• anti
• antithetical
• averse
• disputed
• hostile
• inimical
• opposing