hardball

noun

hard·​ball ˈhärd-ˌbȯl How to pronounce hardball (audio)
1
2
: forceful uncompromising methods employed to gain an end
played political hardball

Examples of hardball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not exactly a hardball, especially for Robbins, who has an everything-must-go approach to self-disclosure. Belinda Luscombe / Boston, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024 Governments that adopted a hardball stance were often able to do business with Trump. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 Despite its use as a hardball negotiating tactic by aggressive developers, no project has broken ground, much less finished, as a result of the builder’s remedy. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024 On the other hand, governments such as China that adopted a hardball negotiating stance were often able to do business with Trump to their benefit. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hardball 

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hardball was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near hardball

Cite this Entry

“Hardball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardball. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hardball

noun
hard·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce hardball (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!