against the grain
70 synonyms found
- a rebours
- a reculons
- abhorrent
- against the tide
- against the wind
- anticlockwise
- arear
- arsy-varsy
- ass-backwards
- at cross-purposes
- at daggers
- at daggers drawn
- at issue
- at odds
- at variance
- at war with
- athwart
- away
- backward
- backwards
- by contraries
- contra
- contrarily
- contrariously
- contrariwise
- conversely
- counter
- counterclockwise
- cross
- cross-grained
- dislikable
- displeasing
- distasteful
- eyeball-to-eyeball
- fro
- hindward
- hindwards
- in confrontation
- in flat opposition
- in hostile array
- in opposition
- in reverse
- intolerable
- inversely
- just the opposite
- mislikable
- nay rather
- odious
- on the contrary
- oppositely
- otherwise
- per contra
- quite the contrary
- rather
- rearward
- rearwards
- retrad
- to the contrary
- topsy-turvy
- tout au contraire
- uncongenial
- uninviting
- unlikable
- unlovable
- unpleasant
- up in arms
- upside down
- vice versa
- widdershins
- with crossed bayonets
Definition
(phrase) :
contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects; to sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface
"by going against the grain and going to work nude, you've made yourself a laughing stock."