Synonyms

go against the grain

Cultural

To go contrary to someone's natural disposition: “Having to get up this early in the morning really goes against my grain.” This refers to the fact that someone who rubs his hand against the grain on a piece of lumber will get splinters.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It's because these films are so beautiful, so unique and so strong that they sometimes go against the grain," said Binoche.

From Barron's

Many of our best picks resulted from a willingness to go against the grain with out-of-favor stocks—and impeccable timing.

From Barron's

We should nurture them as an occasionally irresponsible group that can go against the grain of society and pronounce hard truths.

From Salon

David Murdoch: Going to go against the grain here and say this tie isn't over.

From BBC

That willingness to go against the grain, to share the space regardless of race, created the conditions for Washington Hall to mean a whole lot to a whole lot of people — long after the Danish Brotherhood had left.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023