at odds

Idioms  

1. In disagreement, opposed. For example, It is only natural for the young and old to be at odds over money matters. This idiom uses odds in the sense of “a condition of being unequal or different,” and transfers it to a difference of opinion, or quarrel. [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

All of Stokes, McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key denied the captain and coach were at odds during the Ashes, when England were hammered 4-1.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

“I think Rhaenyra still privileges Alicent’s judgment, even when they are totally at odds with one another,” D’Arcy says.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

Tuohey’s decision to walk back the voluntary decision to divest more broadly is at odds with other Ivy League schools, including Brown, Dartmouth, and Harvard.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Federal safety officials and lawmakers have been at odds over mandating systems enabling pilots to see nearby aircraft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Being at odds with the other arts was not the only aspect of the symphony that dislocated music from its time.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• awkward
• erroneous
• false
• ill-advised
• imprudent
• inaccurate
• inadmissible
• inappropriate
• incorrect
• irregular
• unwarranted
• wrong