Against All Odds

Meaning Of Idiom ‘Against All Odds’

Against all odds means despite many difficulties, setbacks, opposition, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

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Notes On Use

‘Against all odds’ is usually used at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Sentence Examples

“Against all odds, Jane was able to win a scholarship to the Ivy League school of her choice.”

“Against all odds, the lost hikers survived the frigid night.”

“My father overcame so much during his life. He was able to succeed against all odds.”

“Last year, the 74th Hunger Games brought us the greatest love story of our time. Two brave young people, against all odds, chose to die rather than to lose each other.” — The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

“Only a few hours ago, I received word that a small group of people survived in New York City against all odds and in the face of tremendous adversity.” — The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

“They believe that the water will come. They believe against all odds and all evidence that tomorrow will be better than today.” — Rango (2011)

“And if there’s one thing family does it is believe, against all odds, in the best of each other.” — Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

“He will try and try and try, against all odds, against all prejudices, to get home.” — Amistad (1997)

“They were born by cesarean 3 months ago and against all odds, they’re still alive.” — Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)

Origin

Odds, in this idiom, comes from betting and has been used figuratively in this idiom since around 1900. 1Brenner, Gail Abel. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook. Wiley, 2003. 2Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

More Idioms Starting with A

• Add Fuel to the Fire
• Are You Writing a Book?
• Army Brat
• And How
• Any Which Way

More Against Idioms

• Cards Are Stacked Against
• Run Against
• Dead Set Against (something)

More All Idioms

• All Hell Breaks Loose
• All of a Sudden
• After All
• Not For All the Tea in China
• All That Glitters Is Not Gold
• Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

More Gambling Related Idioms

• Lot Riding On Something, a
• You Bet
• Roll the Dice
• Play Russian Roulette
• Bet the Farm
• When the Chips are Down

More Odds Idioms

• Odds and Ends

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