Come up against sb Meaning, Examples & How to Use in English

What Does “Come up against sb” Mean?

“Come up against sb” means to face a person who challenges or opposes you, often in a difficult situation like competition or conflict.

Introduction

The phrase “come up against sb” is a common English phrasal verb used to describe situations where you encounter opposition or difficulties caused by someone else. It often appears in conversations about challenges, competitions, or conflicts. Understanding the “come up against sb meaning” helps learners recognize when someone is talking about facing resistance or obstacles caused by another person. This phrase is useful in both formal and informal contexts and helps express experiences of confrontation or competition clearly and naturally.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: come up against somebody
• Type: Intransitive (often followed by an object)
• Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
• Short meaning: To face opposition or difficulty caused by someone

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Come up against sb” is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot put the object between “come up” and “against.” The structure is always:

• come up against + somebody (or something)

Example patterns:

• We came up against strong competition.
• She often comes up against difficult customers.

How to Use “Come up against sb”?

This phrasal verb is used when you want to talk about facing a person or group that challenges you. It can relate to sports, work, school, or any situation involving conflict or competition. You usually use it in the past or present tense to describe these moments of opposition.

For example, if your team faces a tough opponent in a game, you can say, “We came up against the champions last night.” It highlights the challenge posed by the other team.

Examples

• Our company came up against a strong rival in the market.
• During the debate, she came up against a very experienced speaker.
• The team came up against many difficulties but still won the match.
• He came up against his old friend in the final round of the tournament.
• We often come up against problems when trying to finish the project on time.

Common Mistakes

• Incorrect: She came against up her opponent.
  Correct: She came up against her opponent.
• Incorrect: They come up against the problem.
  Correct: They come up against a problem.
• Incorrect: We came up against strongly the other team.
  Correct: We came up against the other team strongly.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrases include face, run into, and encounter. However, “come up against sb” usually implies a stronger challenge or opposition, often from a person or group.

• Face: More general, can mean any kind of confrontation or situation.
• Run into: Often accidental or unexpected meeting, less about conflict.
• Encounter: Neutral, can be positive or negative, less about opposition.

Example: “We faced many problems” vs. “We came up against many opponents” (more about people opposing you).

Common Collocations

• come up against difficulties
• come up against opposition
• come up against challenges
• come up against rivals
• come up against resistance
• come up against competitors

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of come up against sb:

• Come Upon Sb
• Come Between Sb And Sb
• Come Into Sth
• Come Out With Sth
• Come From Sth

Real-life Dialogue

Anna: Did you hear about the new project?

Ben: Yes, but I heard we’ll come up against some tough competition.

Anna: That’s true. The other teams are very experienced.

Ben: We just need to prepare well and not give up when we come up against challenges.

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “come up against sb”:

1. Our team __________ a very strong opponent in the finals.
2. She often __________ difficult customers at her job.
3. They __________ many problems while organizing the event.
4. We will __________ some resistance from management.

FAQs

• Q: Can “come up against” be used with things other than people?
  A: Yes, it can be used with problems, challenges, or obstacles, not just people.
• Q: Is “come up against sb” formal or informal?
  A: It is suitable for both formal and informal situations.
• Q: Can I say “come up against someone” in the future tense?
  A: Yes, you can say “will come up against someone” to talk about future challenges.
• Q: What is the difference between “come up against” and “face”?
  A: “Come up against” often implies opposition from a person or group, while “face” is more general.
• Q: Can I use “come up against” in passive voice?
  A: It is uncommon and awkward. Usually, use active voice.