hardball

noun
UK: /ˈhɑːd.bɔːl/
US: /ˈhɑːrd.bɑːl/

  1. A baseball.

    1. He gripped the hardball tightly before throwing.
    2. The batter swung hard, connecting squarely with the hardball for a home run.

  2. A political or business tactic that is very forceful and sometimes unfair.

    1. She plays hardball to win negotiations.
    2. The company's hardball tactics led to several lawsuits and a damaged reputation.

Synonyms

aggression force
hardball verb

  1. To use forceful and often aggressive tactics to achieve something.

    1. They hardball during contract talks.
    2. The senator decided to hardball in order to pass the controversial bill quickly.
hardball adjective

  1. Characterized by aggressive and uncompromising tactics.

    1. It was a hardball negotiation strategy.
    2. The candidate adopted a hardball approach, attacking his opponent's record relentlessly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hardball" in English means: A baseball., A political or business tactic that is very forceful and sometimes unfair..

The phonetic transcription of "hardball" is /ˈhɑːd.bɔːl/ in British English and /ˈhɑːrd.bɑːl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hardball": aggression, force.

Example usage of "hardball": "He gripped the hardball tightly before throwing.". More examples on the page.