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
The bans are the latest example of Indonesia playing hardball as new President Prabowo Subianto seeks to pressure international firms to boost local manufacturing, which would be a boon for domestic industries.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
Playing hardball in negotiations doesn't mean the club doesn't want to retain the Polar Bear, though.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Agents for some of these players recently vented to the Herald that Wolf's front office has been playing hardball, more evidence of working the count as Belichick often did.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2024
In Tennessee, the legal hardball became a debacle for both Endo and Arnold & Porter.
—Bob Fernandez, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2024
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Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
Playing hardball in negotiations doesn't mean the club doesn't want to retain the Polar Bear, though.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Agents for some of these players recently vented to the Herald that Wolf's front office has been playing hardball, more evidence of working the count as Belichick often did.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 12 Mar. 2024
In Tennessee, the legal hardball became a debacle for both Endo and Arnold & Porter.
—Bob Fernandez, ProPublica, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hardball
Dictionary Entries Near hardball
Cite this Entry
“Hardball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hardball. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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