Meanings
prepositional phrase
- idiomaticDespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
Against all odds, the inexperienced new player won the tournament.
1 more example
But, against all the odds, one company is still alive and most definitely kicking.
2022 February 9, Ben Jones, “Batteries included for future shunters”, in RAIL, number 950, page 54Synonyms: against all expectations, contrary to all expectations
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseDespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability.
Translations
Ancient Greek παρ’ ἐλπίδα
- παρ’ ἐλπίδα (par’ elpída)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Bulgarian въпреки всичко
- въпреки всичко (văpreki vsičko)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Catalan contra tot pronòstic, contra totes les expectatives
- contra tot pronòsticdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- contra totes les expectativesdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Chinese Mandarin 不顧一切地 /不顾一切地, 不計成敗地 /不计成败地
- 不顧一切地 /不顾一切地 (búgù yīqiē de)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- 不計成敗地 /不计成败地 (bùjì chéng bài de)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Danish imod alle odds
- imod alle oddsdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Dutch tegen alle verwachtingen in
- tegen alle verwachtingen indespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Finnish vastoin kaikkea todennäköisyyttä
- vastoin kaikkea todennäköisyyttädespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
French contre tout pronostic, contre toute attente
- contre tout pronosticdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- contre toute attentedespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- contre vents et maréesdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
German entgegen aller Erwartungen, wider Erwarten
- entgegen aller Erwartungendespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- wider Erwartendespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Greek παρ’ ελπίδα
- παρ’ ελπίδα (par’ elpída)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Hebrew כנגד כל הסיכויים
- כנגד כל הסיכוייםdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Italian contro ogni previsione
- contro ogni previsionedespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Korean 역경을 딛고
- 역경을 딛고 (yeokgyeong'eul ditgo)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Latin contrā tōtum prōgnōsticum
- contrā tōtum prōgnōsticumdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Norwegian mot alle odds
- mot alle oddsdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Polish na przekór wszystkiemu, wbrew wszystkim przeciwnościom
- na przekór wszystkiemudespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- wbrew wszystkim przeciwnościomdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Portuguese contra todas as expectativas
- contra todas as expectativasdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Russian вопреки́ всему́, несмотря́ ни на что́
- вопреки́ всему́ (voprekí vsemú)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- несмотря́ ни на что́ (nesmotrjá ni na štó)despite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Spanish contra todo pronóstico, contra viento y marea
- contra todo pronósticodespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
- contra viento y mareadespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Swedish mot alla odds
- mot alla oddsdespite seemingly insurmountable opposition or probability
Cite this entry
APA
against all odds. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/against%20all%20odds
MLA
“against all odds.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/against%20all%20odds. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “against all odds,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/against%20all%20odds.
Source: against all odds on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.