go against the grain

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.

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 • Jan. 29, 2026

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

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

But as long as food waste is a significant contributor to climate change, I will go against the grain, so to speak, to make an impact and hope my oddball ways catch on.

From Washington Post • Apr. 20, 2023

Steering the Holofceners’ limited remaining assets toward a single nonprofit, rather than a group of organizations, seemed to go against the grain of basic business advice: Spread your resources out in a portfolio of investments.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2023

The pictures, too, were apt in these first days to go against the grain with him.

From Hawthorne and His Circle by Hawthorne, Julian