Synonyms

carry the ball

Idioms

Take charge, advance a cause, as in In our lab any of the assistants can carry the ball. This usage comes from such sports as football, where the ball-carrying player gives the team yardage or a touchdown. By the early 1900s it was being transferred to other endeavors.

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.

See Examples For:

carry the ball

With City's attackers waiting before dropping deep, City's defenders are able to carry the ball into the space that opens up.

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

When USC was without its top two backs for the Las Vegas Bowl in December, Jackson stepped in to carry the ball 16 times for 66 yards and a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2025

Kyren Williams will carry the ball for the Rams this season and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025

He has the power and strength to carry the ball forward.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2025

This time, however, Francis did not carry the ball and on subsequent days maintained that the evidence for a TMV helix was only so-so.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

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