box score

American  

noun

Sports.

1. a record of the play of a game, especially a baseball or basketball game, in which, on separate sides of the record, the players on each team are listed in a column by name and position, with additional rows of columns, each headed by the abbreviation of the type of information to be given for each player.

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box score Idioms  

1. A detailed summary of actions or an event, as in The President wanted to base his reelection campaign on his box score . The term comes from baseball, where since about 1910 it has signified a statistical summary in table form of the essential details of a game. About 1930 it began to be used figuratively, especially by politicians referring to their own record while in office.

2. In military slang, the number of dead, wounded, or missing in action. For example, Never mind the details of the battle; just give the lieutenant the box score . [c. 1950]

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Etymology

Origin of box score

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

You can click on a game and see a basic box score, leaderboard, or the teams’ rosters.

From Slate • Jun. 10, 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers are going to the World Series for the second consecutive season because Ohtani carried them there with a box score that defies belief.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 18, 2025

And — in what didn’t reflect itself in the box score the way it did on the hardwood — the Energizer Bunny chimed in with four.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2025

Gonsolin displayed his uncanny ability to finish with a W next to his name in the box score, the victory improving his lifetime record to a sparkling 35-11.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2025

But I thought, yeah, it would be nice to read for myself the morning box score like most people did.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson