ballpark

American  

[bawl-pahrk] / ˈbɔlˌpɑrk /

Or ball park

noun

1. a tract of land where ball games, especially baseball, are played.

2. a baseball stadium.

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adjective

1. Informal. being an approximation, based on an educated guess.

   Give me a ballpark figure on our total expenses for next year.

idioms

1. in the ballpark, within reasonable, acceptable, or expected limits.

   The price may go up another $10, but that's still in the ballpark.

ballpark British  

/ ˈbɔːlˌpɑːk /

noun

1. a stadium used for baseball games

2. informal

   1. approximate range

      in the right ballpark

   2. ( as modifier )

      a ballpark figure

3. informal a situation; state of affairs

   it's a whole new ballpark for him

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Etymology

Origin of ballpark

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; ball ¹ + park

Explanation

A ballpark is the area where baseball is played. When you go to the ballpark, you can sit in the stands, eat a hot dog, and cheer for your favorite team. Ballpark is an American word from the late 1800s, originally a shortened form of baseball park. The ballpark is familiar to baseball fans, their equivalent of a football stadium or a tennis court. Colloquially, you can be "in the ballpark" when you're close or within a certain range: "I'm just guessing how much that car costs, but I bet I'm in the ballpark."

Example Sentences

“These rules of thumb can certainly give Americans a ballpark estimate for their own wealth-management goals,” said Roberts.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

The organization made it a priority to keep the name of the ballpark, which has been in place since its opening in 1962.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Forbes places its current estimate in the ballpark of $22.6 billion.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

In terms of other sporting entities, Mercedes are valued at slightly less than Manchester United and slightly more than Liverpool - so it's in the ballpark of valuations for leading non-US sports franchises.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025

And baseball in Seattle had recently experienced a major setback—one of many more to come—when the wooden stands at the Indians’ ballpark, Dugdale Park, burned to the ground in July 1932.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

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