swim against the stream
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.
Related to swim against the stream: swim against the current, going against the stream
swim against the stream
To go against or disagree with a prevailing or popularly held opinion or perspective; to act or behave contrary to the majority of others. I really swam against the stream when I was in college with some radical opinions, but as I've grown older I have found myself falling more in line with other people's way of thinking. I don't understand why you always have to swim against the stream instead of making things a little easier on yourself!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
swim against the stream
orgo against the stream
If you swim against the stream or go against the stream, you do or say the opposite of what most other people are doing or saying. He was brave enough to be different and swim against the stream. If you live in a different culture, you can feel as if you are going against the stream.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
go, swim, etc. with/against the ˈstream/ˈtide
behave/not behave in the same way as most other people: He’s a fashion designer who’s always swum against the stream; his work is very original. ♢ Why do you always have to go against the tide?Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
swim against the stream
To move counter to a prevailing trend.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.