Meaning: To irritate, annoy, or upset someone, often unintentionally, by doing or saying something they dislike.
Usage in Example Sentences:
- “Her sarcastic comments rubbed him up the wrong way during the meeting.”
- “He tends to rub people up the wrong way with his blunt remarks.”
- “I didn’t mean to rub you up the wrong way—I was just trying to help.”
Origin:
This idiom comes from the imagery of stroking a cat’s fur in the opposite direction of its natural grain, which can make the animal uncomfortable and irritated. First used in the 19th century, it has since been applied metaphorically to describe interactions that cause annoyance or friction in people.
