buck the system
idiom
: to oppose the rules of the system : to do things that are not allowed
He was always trying to buck the system.
Examples of buck the system in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Believing that amazing things in life can be just as surprising as their counterparts, Green chooses to buck the system with such innovative, satirical acts as sending U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi a 7-foot tall spine made out of Styrofoam right after Trump got elected.
—
Jake Kroeger, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023
Reformist politicians can buck the system in districts where the economy is more diversified.
—Garry Rodan, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
For daring to buck the system, Haywood became the target of intense criticism, as some white fans and sportswriters called him greedy and unprincipled.
—Theresa Runstedtler, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023
Equifax has chosen to buck the system of making idle promises by putting tangible evidence and numbers to its sustainability objectives.
—Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 2 June 2022
The images recalled Roberts’s zombie gig workers straining to buck the system.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022
But in the interim, Warner and D.C. poached the writer-director, one of the few filmmakers in the genre with the nerve and talent to not exactly buck the system but deconstruct it and turn superhero myth into slapstick farce.
—Jake Coyle, Detroit Free Press, 6 Aug. 2021
But in the interim, Warner and D.C. poached the writer-director, one of the few filmmakers in the genre with the nerve and talent to not exactly buck the system but deconstruct it, and turn superhero myth into slapstick farce.
—Jake Coyle, Star Tribune, 28 July 2021
An attempt to act independently or buck the system could negatively impact your fortunes.
—Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 30 June 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jake Kroeger, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023
Reformist politicians can buck the system in districts where the economy is more diversified.
—Garry Rodan, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
For daring to buck the system, Haywood became the target of intense criticism, as some white fans and sportswriters called him greedy and unprincipled.
—Theresa Runstedtler, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023
Equifax has chosen to buck the system of making idle promises by putting tangible evidence and numbers to its sustainability objectives.
—Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 2 June 2022
The images recalled Roberts’s zombie gig workers straining to buck the system.
—New York Times, 23 Mar. 2022
But in the interim, Warner and D.C. poached the writer-director, one of the few filmmakers in the genre with the nerve and talent to not exactly buck the system but deconstruct it and turn superhero myth into slapstick farce.
—Jake Coyle, Detroit Free Press, 6 Aug. 2021
But in the interim, Warner and D.C. poached the writer-director, one of the few filmmakers in the genre with the nerve and talent to not exactly buck the system but deconstruct it, and turn superhero myth into slapstick farce.
—Jake Coyle, Star Tribune, 28 July 2021
An attempt to act independently or buck the system could negatively impact your fortunes.
—Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 30 June 2021
Dictionary Entries Near buck the system
Cite this Entry
“Buck the system.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buck%20the%20system. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share