Instead of working together, these departments often work at cross purposes.

But his proposed budget seems to work at conflicting purposes.

What if we have two groups working at cross purposes?

Hidden hands were in the game, working at secret purposes.

"It seems we've been working at cross purposes for the past few months."

Moreover, the Obama administration's policies are working at cross purposes.

If you start working at cross purposes we'll have a problem.

We can no longer afford to work at cross purposes as separate states.

On matters of instruction, the central board has often worked at cross purposes with the local districts, the report said.

"They are working at cross purposes over a short period," she said.