odds are stacked against (someone)
idiom
—used to describe a situation in which someone does not have a good or fair chance of winning, succeeding, etc.
She felt the odds are stacked against her.
Examples of odds are stacked against (someone) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But when someone feels the odds are stacked against them, working around the system can feel like the only way forward.
—
Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Tomato Pie Restaurants may try to serve tomato pie, but the odds are stacked against them for success.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Surely the odds are stacked against there being a long-term return on that card.
—Brooks Peck, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
As a gay couple and Black-identifying family, Ms. Green and Ms. Moore say the odds are stacked against them.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odds are stacked against (someone)
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Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Tomato Pie Restaurants may try to serve tomato pie, but the odds are stacked against them for success.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Surely the odds are stacked against there being a long-term return on that card.
—Brooks Peck, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
As a gay couple and Black-identifying family, Ms. Green and Ms. Moore say the odds are stacked against them.
—Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for odds are stacked against (someone)
Cite this Entry
“Odds are stacked against (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odds%20are%20stacked%20against%20%28someone%29. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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