swims upstream
Fights the flow
To swim upstream is to move against the current of a river or stream, which requires considerably more effort than going with the flow.
The phrase is used literally of fish, especially salmon during spawning season, but more often appears figuratively to describe someone who opposes prevailing trends, resists conformity, or takes a difficult path that others avoid.
She's always swum upstream when it comes to fashion.
The implication is usually one of admirable independence, though sometimes of stubborn contrarianism.
- salmonPink-fleshed migratory fish
- wild salmonFree-swimming pacific fish
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- currentDirected flow of charge
- iconoclastAttacker of cherished beliefs
migration · metaphor · allegory · rebellion · trailblazer · road less traveled · grit · defiance · fighting spirit · determination · contrarian · courage · against the grain · bucking the trend · persistence · against all odds · spawning · watershed
swims upstreamdrifts
Moves without direction
floats · glides · coasts · goes with the flow · freewheels
swims upstreamgoes with the flow
Accepts situations without resisting
follows the crowd · conforms · falls in line · toes the line · goes along to get along
swim, swims, swam, swimming, swimmer, swimmers, upstream, stream, streams