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 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 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hardball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 31 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

hardball

noun
hard·​ball -ˌbȯl How to pronounce hardball (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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