play hardball

Idioms

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.

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:

play hardball

So, with the deal expected to close in the fall, county officials decided to play hardball.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

I doubt he expected states like Virginia to play hardball.

From Slate ● Apr. 24, 2026

NBC News reported that in April 2017, 59% of Democrats supported compromising with Trump and Republicans on legislation, while 33% wanted them to play hardball.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2025

“These newcomers may play hardball, which could extend the length of this strike.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2023

She didn’t want to have to play hardball, but here goes.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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