ball game
noun
variants
or ballgame
plural ball games or ballgames
1
: a game played with a ball
We have to take care of the basketball. If you don't have the basketball it's hard to win a ball game.—
LaToya Bennett, quoted in The Huntsville (Texas) Item
LaToya Bennett, quoted in The Huntsville (Texas) Item… returned a punt for a touchdown in the first half of the football game to help Georgia earn their first points of the ball game.—Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams
especially, US
: a baseball game
… Lyons was thrown out trying to steal third to end the ball game … —Mark Starr
Mark Starr 2
informal
a
: a set of circumstances : situation
Driving in Britain is a different ball game.—Robert Lacville
Robert Lacville… once that blaze surged across the river, it would be a whole new ball game.—Jeffrey J. Smith
Jeffrey J. Smith
b
: contest sense 1
… on Mar. 17, the candidates must stagger to high-stakes caucuses in Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Kentucky. The ball game could be over by Mar. 20 …—Business Week
Business WeekSynonyms
Examples of ball game in a Sentence
He was popular because he was good at ball games.
Dad took us to a ball game.
watching a ball game on TV
Recent Examples on the Web
The 1978 World Series against the Dodgers saw the Yankees lose the first two ball games in Los Angeles.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Despite starting their top three pitchers in Sonny Gray, Fedde and Kyle Gibson, St. Louis was swept by the Reds, scoring four total runs in three virtually uncompetitive ball games.
—Katie Woo, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
Sales have become an afterthought with adaptation representing the whole ball game.
—Simon Van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Not to be outdone, the Guardians and Yankees have also used eight pitchers in a nine inning postseason ball game during the Division Series.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ball game 
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Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Despite starting their top three pitchers in Sonny Gray, Fedde and Kyle Gibson, St. Louis was swept by the Reds, scoring four total runs in three virtually uncompetitive ball games.
—Katie Woo, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
Sales have become an afterthought with adaptation representing the whole ball game.
—Simon Van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
Not to be outdone, the Guardians and Yankees have also used eight pitchers in a nine inning postseason ball game during the Division Series.
—Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ball game
Dictionary Entries Near ball game
Cite this Entry
“Ball game.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ball%20game. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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