ball game
noun
variants
or ballgame
plural ball games or ballgames
1
: a game played with a ball
We have to take care of the basketball. If you don't have the basketball it's hard to win a ball game.—
LaToya Bennett, quoted in The Huntsville (Texas) Item
LaToya Bennett, quoted in The Huntsville (Texas) Item… returned a punt for a touchdown in the first half of the football game to help Georgia earn their first points of the ball game.—Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams
especially, US
: a baseball game
… Lyons was thrown out trying to steal third to end the ball game … —Mark Starr
Mark Starr 2
informal
a
: a set of circumstances : situation
Driving in Britain is a different ball game.—Robert Lacville
Robert Lacville… once that blaze surged across the river, it would be a whole new ball game.—Jeffrey J. Smith
Jeffrey J. Smith
b
: contest sense 1
… on Mar. 17, the candidates must stagger to high-stakes caucuses in Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Kentucky. The ball game could be over by Mar. 20 …—Business Week
Business WeekSynonyms
Examples of ball game in a Sentence
He was popular because he was good at ball games.
Dad took us to a ball game.
watching a ball game on TV
Recent Examples on the Web
Piper has shared moments from vacations, ball games and more on X, and even documented their engagement in August 2015.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025
Goldschmidt played in 154 ball games last season and posted an on-base plus slugging plus (OPS+) of 98 OPS+ where 100 serves as league average while accounting for external factors such as ballparks according to Baseball-Reference.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
The Falcons led the ball game 7-0 at the time of McCormick's injury.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
With runners on first and second base, and the MVP frontrunner standing on-deck with no outs in a two-run ball game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called for Miguel Rojas to attempt a bunt on his first pitch at the plate.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ball game 
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Jane Lacroix, People.com, 16 Feb. 2025
Goldschmidt played in 154 ball games last season and posted an on-base plus slugging plus (OPS+) of 98 OPS+ where 100 serves as league average while accounting for external factors such as ballparks according to Baseball-Reference.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
The Falcons led the ball game 7-0 at the time of McCormick's injury.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
With runners on first and second base, and the MVP frontrunner standing on-deck with no outs in a two-run ball game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called for Miguel Rojas to attempt a bunt on his first pitch at the plate.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ball game
Dictionary Entries Near ball game
Cite this Entry
“Ball game.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ball%20game. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
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