uphold against

USAGE SUMMARY

"uphold against" is correct and usable in written English.
It means to defend or protect someone against a threat or harm. Example sentence: She trusted her attorney to uphold her rights against unfair workplace practices.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Many of us have been working consistently together to secure the liberal and democratic values we want our shared society to promote and uphold, against erosion from every direction and extremism from every source.

The Guardian

Who lets so fair a house fall to decay, Which husbandry in honour might uphold, Against the stormy gusts of winter's day And barren rage of death's eternal cold?

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A fine of about 500 million euros was upheld against his financial empire.

The New York Times

This compares with about a third of all complaints being upheld against government departments in general.

The Guardian

As many as 800 complaints of racism have been upheld against officers since 2010, but only 20 have been sacked.

The Guardian - Opinion

New York State's Department of Financial Services, for instance, ranks 40 insurance companies by the number of complaints upheld against them as a percentage of their premium.

The New York Times

They indicate that in January alone more than 85,000 sanctions were applied or upheld against claimants, and that most districts were down on the previous month's performance.

The Guardian

Two of the detective constables had allegations of "other neglect or failure of duty" upheld against them and are no longer working on Operation Weeting, the Met said.

The Guardian

"It looks good on paper," said one officer, who asked not to be identified, adding that complaints were usually upheld against unpopular staff members, while others were excused.

The New York Times

Peachy Loans have recently had complaints upheld against them by the ASA for an advert they ran on sandwich wrappers in cafes opposite university campuses and colleges.

The Guardian

The report also revealed that people had been promoted within the BBC despite having allegations of sexual harassment upheld against them.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "uphold against" when you want to convey the idea of actively defending or maintaining something, such as a principle or value, in the face of opposition or a potential threat.

Common error

Avoid using "uphold against" interchangeably with phrases like "defend against" or "protect against" if you specifically want to emphasize the act of actively maintaining or supporting something already established, rather than simply guarding against an external threat.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "uphold against" functions as a verb phrase indicating the act of defending or maintaining something in the face of opposition. It suggests a proactive effort to ensure something remains intact despite challenges. Ludwig confirms the usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

4%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "uphold against" signifies defending or preserving something in the face of opposition. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's a relatively rare expression. Its usage is primarily found in news and media, as well as science contexts. Alternative phrases, such as "defend against" or "protect against", are more common, but lack the emphasis on maintaining something established. Therefore, use "uphold against" when you want to specifically convey the idea of actively preserving a principle or value amidst challenges.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

defend against

Replaces "uphold" with "defend", focusing on protection from attack.

protect against

Substitutes "uphold" with "protect", emphasizing prevention of harm.

maintain in the face of

Uses a more formal tone and focuses on maintaining something despite challenges.

stand firm against

Emphasizes resilience and unwavering support.

sustain against

Highlights the act of keeping something going despite opposition.

preserve in opposition to

A more formal option that stresses preservation amidst resistance.

support in spite of

Highlights the support given even with the presence of challenges.

validate against

Focuses on proving the correctness or accuracy, typically within scientific or research contexts.

buttress against

Emphasizes strengthening something to resist opposing forces.

shore up against

Implies reinforcing or propping up something to prevent it from collapsing under pressure.

FAQs

How can I use "uphold against" in a sentence?

You can use "uphold against" to show defending or maintaining something, such as saying "She trusted her attorney to uphold against her rights against unfair workplace practices".

What does "uphold against" mean?

The phrase "uphold against" means to defend or protect something, like a principle, value, or right, when it's being challenged or threatened by something else.

What are some alternatives to "uphold against"?

Some alternatives to "uphold against" include "defend against", "protect against", or "maintain in the face of", depending on the context.

Is it more common to say "uphold against" or "uphold"?

The phrase "uphold" is more commonly used on its own. "Uphold against" is more specific, indicating defending against a particular threat or opposition.