up against it
idiom
informal
: in a difficult situation
With hardly any money or time left, we are really up against it!
Examples of up against it in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hendrickson had the Bengals up against it in negotiations for his contract extension before the draft.
—
Paul Dehner Jr., New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
What’s the rule in Pittsburgh when the Penguins are up against it?
—Rob Rossi, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Without Joel Eriksson Ek and Brodin, who usually do a solid job against McDavid (his fewest points per game in the NHL are against Minnesota), the Wild were already up against it.
—Michael Russo, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Now, sometimes being up against it actually can help the peace.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for up against it
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Paul Dehner Jr., New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
What’s the rule in Pittsburgh when the Penguins are up against it?
—Rob Rossi, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Without Joel Eriksson Ek and Brodin, who usually do a solid job against McDavid (his fewest points per game in the NHL are against Minnesota), the Wild were already up against it.
—Michael Russo, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Now, sometimes being up against it actually can help the peace.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for up against it
Cite this Entry
“Up against it.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up%20against%20it. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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