play hardball

Idioms  

1. Act aggressively and ruthlessly, as in It's only a month before the election, and I'm sure they'll start to play hardball. This term originated in baseball, where it alludes to using the standard ball as opposed to the slightly larger and minimally softer ball of softball. It was transferred to describe aggressive behavior only in the 1970s.

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Example Sentences

It’s remotely conceivable that cable magnates will examine the declining, if not completely evaporated, credibility of Fox as a news channel and decide to play hardball, either by offering smaller carriage fees or taking Fox News off the basic subscription tier entirely.

From Los Angeles Times

El Segundo-based DirecTV has long maintained that dropping Newsmax in late January was strictly a business decision, coming only after the controversial Boca Raton, Fla., channel failed in its attempts to play hardball during carriage negotiations.

From Los Angeles Times

Newsmax made it clear it plans to play hardball, urging its customers to call AT&T and DirecTV and threaten to cancel their subscriptions, as well as their congressional representatives.

From Washington Times

Mr. Trump, who frequently spars with the press, said it is important to play hardball in finding the leaker.

From Washington Times

Former President Donald Trump outlined Wednesday his plans for stepped-up restrictions against Chinese investment in critical domestic resources, signaling his intent to play hardball with Beijing as he plots his course for a return to the White House in 2024.

From Washington Times