against the grain
idiom
: different from what is normal or usual
It takes courage to go against the grain and stand up for what you believe in.
Examples of against the grain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Friday album releases became the standard a decade ago, and Tyler is one of the few artists to go against the grain and release on a different day.
—
Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 30 Oct. 2024
This new form of diplomacy cuts against the grain in Asian diplomacy, where uncontroversial and one-dimensional thinking predominates.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2015
Having an Aquarius stellium isn’t easy, as Aquarius is the black sheep of astrology, because this air sign isn’t afraid to go against the grain.
—Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 12 Aug. 2024
Such a move also cuts against the grain of wider Western policy trends in recent years, particularly within the United States, which have tended toward the expansion of religious engagement to include faiths other than Islam and issues other than security.
—Zaheer Kazmi, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2015
See all Example Sentences for against the grain 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 30 Oct. 2024
This new form of diplomacy cuts against the grain in Asian diplomacy, where uncontroversial and one-dimensional thinking predominates.
—Victor Cha, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2015
Having an Aquarius stellium isn’t easy, as Aquarius is the black sheep of astrology, because this air sign isn’t afraid to go against the grain.
—Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 12 Aug. 2024
Such a move also cuts against the grain of wider Western policy trends in recent years, particularly within the United States, which have tended toward the expansion of religious engagement to include faiths other than Islam and issues other than security.
—Zaheer Kazmi, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2015
See all Example Sentences for against the grain
Dictionary Entries Near against the grain
Cite this Entry
“Against the grain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/against%20the%20grain. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share