against the grain

phrase

: 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

Ellison is said to genuinely admire Weiss and her vision, which is premised on appealing to a silent majority of Americans who are not far left or far right, and being somewhat contrarian or against the grain. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

The movie is so familiar to the general public that its release seems to go against the grain of Criterion’s reputation, which was built on bringing landmark works of film history to the masses. — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Then slice the steak against the grain, return any juices from the cutting board to the pan, and spoon that peppery sauce generously over top. — Molly Baz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Aug. 2026

All three musicians played virtuosically, and all three wielded their astounding dexterity to drag against the grain of pop appeal. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for against the grain

• cyclopropane
• legerdemain
• nitromethane
• ultramontane
• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine