push up against
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To generate pressure on (someone or something); to challenge.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Beyond delivering services, Bobby brought his revolutionary nationalist theory to the job and used the opportunity to push up against the ideological bias in the government program.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see push, up against.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “push up against” mean?
To generate pressure on (someone or something); to challenge.
Is “push up against” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.