go up against

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combat v.
confront v.
face v.
face-off v.
struggle v.
take on v.
tussle v.

VERB

combat

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cope fight oppose repel resist withstand

STRONG

battle buck clash contend contest defy dispute duel engage strive struggle traverse war

WEAK

cross swords with do battle with put up a fight shoot it out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

support surrender yield

STRONG

agree give in give up make peace

WEAK

compromise retreat run

VERB

confront

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accost defy encounter meet oppose repel resist

STRONG

affront beard brave dare flout front scorn withstand

WEAK

call one's bluff come up against face down face off face up to face with go one-on-one make my day meet eyeball-to-eyeball stand up to tell off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

avoid dodge evade surrender yield

WEAK

back down

VERB

face

Synonyms

STRONGEST

allow challenge confront deal with encounter endure experience fight meet oppose risk run into suffer take

STRONG

abide accost affront bear beard brace brave brook contend countenance court cross dare defy eyeball resist stand stomach submit sustain swallow tolerate venture withstand

WEAK

be confronted by bit the bullet cope with fly in face of grapple with make a stand square off take it take on take the bull by the horns tell off

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist avoid disallow discontinue dodge help hold keep refuse reject support surrender yield

STRONG

disapprove evade give in give up halt hide ignore leave resist shun stop veto

WEAK

back retreat run withdraw

VERB

face-off

Synonyms

STRONG

argue brave challenge confront dare defy go one-on-one take on

VERB

struggle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

compete contend grapple

STRONG

battle brawl buck contest hassle romp rough-house row scrap scuffle shuffle slug smack tangle

WEAK

bump heads cross swords lock horns put up a fight

Antonyms

STRONG

agree concur make peace

WEAK

idle laze rest surrender yield

VERB

take on

Synonyms

WEAK

brave buck call out confront dare defy denounce dispute face-off go eyeball to eyeball with go one on one with go toe to toe with hang in insist upon investigate invite competition make a stand object to question stand up to throw down the gauntlet

Antonyms

WEAK

refuse reject

VERB

tussle

Synonyms

STRONGEST

scuffle tangle wrestle

STRONG

battle box brawl conflict contest fight grapple hassle romp rough-house row scrap

WEAK

bump heads lock horns put up a fight

Antonyms

STRONG

agree concur harmonize make peace

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.

See Examples For:

go up against

Solomon will go up against the Geordie duo for this year's gong as well as Sir David Attenborough in his 100th birthday year, Traitors and chat show host Claudia Winkleman and Alison Hammond.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Brazil's Alex Pereira will go up against France's Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight crown, while Georgian Ilia Topuria is set to take on current interim champion Justin Gaethje for the lightweight bout.

From BBC ● May 27, 2026

Much like Wintour, Bolton and so many working in media, Miranda and her cohorts go up against a handful of billionaires who have the power to decide Runway’s fate.

From Salon ● May 6, 2026

Up next, the Hoosiers go up against Oregon at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 9.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2026

“I should never have let you go up against him.”

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

go up against

Example Sentences

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