ballpark

Or ball park

[bawl-pahrk]

noun

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

2. a baseball stadium.

adjective

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

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

ballpark

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballpark¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

MLB emergency medical procedures now require that naloxone be stored in clubhouses, weight rooms, dugouts and umpire dressing rooms at all ballparks.

From Los Angeles Times

The same crowd that can’t distinguish home runs from fly balls was chanting his first name throughout the ballpark after just two pitches.

From Los Angeles Times

“But, you know, Bill loves being at the ballpark and if he wasn’t doing what he’s doing for us, I think he’d be at Dodger Stadium almost every night anyway.”

From Los Angeles Times

Even so: The first player in the history of a 65-year-old franchise to earn a ballpark statue is Mike Trout.

From Los Angeles Times

You can say you are building a ballpark, but the anticipation accelerates when the community sees what the ballpark might look like.

From Los Angeles Times

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