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hardball
[ hahrd-bawl ]
/ ˈhɑrdˌbɔl /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
baseball, as distinguished from softball.
adjective
tough or ruthless: He wasn't ready for the hardball politics of Washington.
outspoken, challenging, or difficult: Reporters asked the president some hardball questions.
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Idioms about hardball
play hardball, to act or work aggressively, competitively, or ruthlessly, as in business or politics.
Words nearby hardball
hard as nails, hard-ass, hard-asset, hardback, hardbake, hardball, hard bargain, hard-bill, hard-bitten, hardboard, hardbody
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use hardball in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for hardball
hardball
/ (ˈhɑːdbɔːl) /
noun
US and Canadian baseball as distinct from softball
play hardball informal, mainly US and Canadian to act in a ruthless or uncompromising way
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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