1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To cause someone to face or have to deal with a challenging situation, obstacle, or opponent.
"The lawsuit brought the small company up against regulations it had never encountered before."
separable
bring up against
B2 neutral separable transitive
To cause someone to face or confront a difficulty, obstacle, or opponent.
In plain English
To make someone deal with a hard problem or a tough person.
What does "bring up against" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To place something in direct physical contact or opposition with another object.
"He brought the ladder up against the wall of the building."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically move something until it is touching or pressed against another surface — extended to mean confronting an obstacle.
Actually means
To make someone deal with a hard problem or a tough person.
Usage tip
Less common than 'come up against'. Often used in the passive. Usually followed by a noun indicating a challenge, wall, or adversary.
Words that pair with "bring up against"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
reality obstacle problem opposition wall difficulty
How to conjugate "bring up against"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bring up against
I/you/we/they
3rd person
brings up against
he/she/it
Past simple
brought up against
yesterday
Past participle
brought up against
have + pp
-ing form
bringing up against
continuous
Hear "bring up against" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bring up against" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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