go against
phrasal verb
went against; gone against; going against; goes against
1
: to not agree with (something)
I won't do anything that goes against my conscience/beliefs/principles.
values that go against those of society
2
: to oppose (someone or something)
He was surprised when some of his former supporters went against him.
He was reluctant to go against his parents' wishes.
3
: to compete against (a player or team) in a contest or game
The Red Sox will be going against the Yankees in tonight's game.
4
: to not be good for (someone) : to not produce the result that is wanted by (someone)
Everything seemed to be going against her but she didn't give up hope.
The verdict went against the defendant.
Examples of go against in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Another way Gellert goes against the grain is by suggesting caution about the role of generative AI in recruiting.
—
Haniya Rae, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Ongoing legal battles—especially over training data and copyright—could raise costs or limit access to essential resources if outcomes go against OpenAI’s practices.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 22 July 2025
On April 30, the court ruled that these implementations went against the original objective of the injunction.
—Sara Smith, Variety, 21 July 2025
Given that a coherent press is designed to push the in-possession team in a certain direction, going against the grain means that the opposition’s momentum is halted and — as the above examples show — that press is subsequently broken.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for go against
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Haniya Rae, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Ongoing legal battles—especially over training data and copyright—could raise costs or limit access to essential resources if outcomes go against OpenAI’s practices.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 22 July 2025
On April 30, the court ruled that these implementations went against the original objective of the injunction.
—Sara Smith, Variety, 21 July 2025
Given that a coherent press is designed to push the in-possession team in a certain direction, going against the grain means that the opposition’s momentum is halted and — as the above examples show — that press is subsequently broken.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for go against
Cite this Entry
“Go against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20against. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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