hardball
noun
hard·ball
ˈhärd-ˌbȯl 
1
: baseball
2
: forceful uncompromising methods employed to gain an end
played political hardball
Examples of hardball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That does not mean our state capitol is lacking for some serious hardball.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Most teams have been willing to play more hardball than usual in the second-apron era, even with their stars.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Inflation lingering, the Fed playing hardball with interest rates due to tariff's, consumers tightening their belts.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The concept of negotiation or playing hardball is lost on TACO servers, but the term does at least acknowledge that tariffs are not necessarily set in stone.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardball
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.
Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Most teams have been willing to play more hardball than usual in the second-apron era, even with their stars.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Inflation lingering, the Fed playing hardball with interest rates due to tariff's, consumers tightening their belts.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
The concept of negotiation or playing hardball is lost on TACO servers, but the term does at least acknowledge that tariffs are not necessarily set in stone.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hardball
Cite this Entry
“Hardball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardball. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share