against
1 of 2preposition
ə-ˈgen(t)st 
-ˈgin(t)st,
-ˈgān(t)st
1
a
: in opposition or hostility to
spoke against his enemies
b
: not in conformity with : contrary to
against the law
c
: in competition with
racing against each other
d
: as a basis for disapproval of
had nothing against him
2
a
: directly opposite : facing
… she sat down just over against me …—
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe b
obsolete : exposed to
3
: compared or contrasted with
profits are up against last year
4
a
: in preparation or provision for
saving against an uncertain future
b
: as a defense or protection from
a shelter against the cold
5
a
: in the direction of and into contact with
knocked against the ropes
b
: in contact with
leaning against the wall
6
: in a direction opposite to the motion or course of : counter to
sail against the wind
7
a
: as a counterbalance to
weighing risk against profit
b
: in exchange for
a lower rate against the dollar
c
: as a charge on
charged against her account
8
: before the background of
viewed against the sky
against
2 of 2conjunction
archaic
: in preparation for the time when
… throw on another log of wood against father comes home.—Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Synonyms
Preposition
- on
- upon
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Preposition We must continue the struggle for justice and against injustice. She voted against the proposal. He spoke against appeasing the enemy. Some people were for the proposal but others were against it. There's a law against doing that. two runners racing against each other Touching the ball with your hands is against the rules. See More
Recent Examples on the WebEmily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Feb. 2023 Judge Clifton Newman heard key arguments last week over whether to admit evidence of Murdaugh's more than 100 other charges of financial crimes and at least two of the dozen lawsuits against him as motive in the killings. —Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2023 The Longhorns meet that criterion, as opposing teams average 20.9 3-point attempts per game against them. —Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2023 Moscow’s new law was adopted in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, by a large majority: with only 24 of 450 lawmakers against it, and 18 abstaining. —Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 Sixteen of the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against them and are expected to be the first ones to take the stand. —Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 6 Feb. 2023 Evidence against him includes more than 100 pages of emails from a school resource officer. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2023 In December, Ellison struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against her. —Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 6 Feb. 2023 Jackson denied all allegations against him through his death in 2009. —Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2023 See More
Preposition
Former colleagues and employees of Gerace made multiple accusations against him, including involving his credentials, as the Assembly weighed his confirmation. —Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Feb. 2023 Judge Clifton Newman heard key arguments last week over whether to admit evidence of Murdaugh's more than 100 other charges of financial crimes and at least two of the dozen lawsuits against him as motive in the killings. —Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2023 The Longhorns meet that criterion, as opposing teams average 20.9 3-point attempts per game against them. —Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2023 Moscow’s new law was adopted in the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, by a large majority: with only 24 of 450 lawmakers against it, and 18 abstaining. —Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 Sixteen of the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against them and are expected to be the first ones to take the stand. —Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 6 Feb. 2023 Evidence against him includes more than 100 pages of emails from a school resource officer. —Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2023 In December, Ellison struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against her. —Marco Quiroz-gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 6 Feb. 2023 Jackson denied all allegations against him through his death in 2009. —Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Preposition
Middle English ayenest, ayenst, ayeinst, agaynste, alteration (with parasitic -t, perhaps originally from partial assimilation to a following article) of ayeines, ageynes, from ayein, ageyn again + -es -'s
Conjunction
Middle English, derivative of against against entry 1
First Known Use
Preposition
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Conjunction
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
against
prepositionə-ˈgen(t)st,
-ˈgin(t)st,
-ˈgān(t)st
1
a
: opposed to
a campaign against disease
play against each other
b
: contrary to
against the law
2
: opposite entry 4
over against the park
3
a
: in preparation for
storing food against the winter
b
: as a protection from
a shield against aggression
4
: in or into contact with
ran against a tree
leaning against the wall
5
: in a direction opposite to
against the wind
6
: before the background of
green trees against the blue sky
against 1 of 2
preposition
1
as in on
in or into contact with he leaned against the fence and it collapsed unwittingly rubbed his leg against some poison ivy Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- on
- upon
- next
- alongside
- next to
- upside
2
as in anti
opposed to; not for I'm against going to see the parade if it's raining Synonyms & Similar Words
- anti
- contra
- versus
- agin
- with
- contrary to
- athwart
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- for
- pro
against
2 of 2adjective
as in opposed
Synonyms & Similar Words
- opposed
- averse
- unwilling
- loath
- reluctant
- opposing
- contrary
- unrelenting
- relentless
- counter
- hesitant
- stern
- disinclined
- unbending
- rebel
- defiant
- hostile
- recalcitrant
- unflinching
- countering
- refractory
- resisting
- adverse
- competing
- unfavorable
- insubordinate
- wayward
- inflexible
- negative
- rebellious
- untoward
- prejudicial
- counteracting
- unruly
- hard
- contumacious
- resistant
- intractable
- inimical
- obstreperous
- disadvantageous
- loth
- conflicting
- froward
- balky
- unfriendly
- untoward
- recusant
- incompliant
- willful
- wilful
- unsympathetic
- ungovernable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- complying
- unresistant
- tolerant
- understanding
- favorable
- positive
- benign
- congenial
- friendly
- advantageous
- sympathetic
- supportive
- hospitable
- agreeable
- cordial
- amiable
- amicable
- friendly
- affable
- benignant
- well-disposed
Phrases Containing against
- one's heart bleeds for
- one's heart is (just) not in something
- one's heart is just not in something
- one's heart is not in something
- one's heart leaps
- one's heart melts
- one's heart out
- one's heart sinks
- one's house in order
- one's inner self
- one's keep
- one's kind of
- one's level best
- one's nose is to the grindstone
- one's old self
- one's own man
- one's real self
- one's self
- one's temper flares
- one's true self
- one's true/real self
- one's very own
- one's waking hours
- one's waking hours/moments
- one's waking moments