ball game

American

Or ballgame

noun

any game played with a ball, especially baseball or softball.
Informal. a situation and all its attendant circumstances.

Having a new administration in power changes the entire ball game at city hall.
Archaeology. a ceremonial game of both ritual and sporting significance, played by teams on a ball court in Mesoamerican cultures from the Preclassic period to the Spanish conquest.

ball game British

noun

any game played with a ball
a game of baseball
informal a situation; state of affairs (esp in the phrase a whole new ball game )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ball game

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Selling homes is a whole different ball game, and you have to bring something to the table.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

Max Williamson held up, Italy ball, game over.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Because I think if we fall short of that, that’s the end of the ball game.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2025

That, to be blunt, is the whole ball game.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2025

It was the difference between being a spectator at a ball game and one of the players.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023