HARDBALL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hardball mean? 

• HARDBALL (noun)
  The noun HARDBALL has 2 senses:

1. a no-nonsense attitude in business or politics

2. baseball as distinguished from softball

  Familiarity information: HARDBALL used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HARDBALL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A no-nonsense attitude in business or politics

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

they play hardball in the Senate

Hypernyms ("hardball" is a kind of...):

attitude; mental attitude (a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Baseball as distinguished from softball

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("hardball" is a kind of...):

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Antonym:

softball (a game closely resembling baseball that is played on a smaller diamond and with a ball that is larger and softer)