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Synonyms

carry the ball

Idioms  

  1. 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.

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

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025

She likes to carry the ball past players and get in the box.

From BBC • Jul. 16, 2025

Yes he was explosive, but he also possessed technique as well as vision and delighted with his ability to carry the ball in attack.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2023

Expect to see more opportunities for Vaki next weekend at USC … because who wouldn’t want to carry the ball against USC?

From Seattle Times • Oct. 15, 2023

Each team tries to carry the ball downfield and score a try, like a touchdown.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.