ball game

noun

variants or ballgame

ˈbȯl-ˌgām 

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

… 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

especially, US : a baseball game

… Lyons was thrown out trying to steal third to end the ball game …

—Mark Starr

2

informal

a

: a set of circumstances : situation

Driving in Britain is a different ball game.

—Robert Lacville

… once that blaze surged across the river, it would be a whole new ball game.

—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 …

—Businessweek

Synonyms of ball game

• rivalry
• battle
• struggle
• competition
• duel
• warfare
• contention
• match
• confrontation
• war
• conflict

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

But this was like a whole new ball game. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026

At least not as long as the Knicks are winning ball games. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026

Traveling carry-on-only is a feat in and of itself—but doing it in Europe is a totally different ball game. —Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 25 Dec. 2025

Under the old policy, alcohol sales were still prohibited during Burleson Youth Association ball games or practices. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ball game

• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame
• disclaim
• doorframe
• exclaim
• inflame
• mainframe