political football

noun

: an issue that politicians argue about and try to use for their advantage

This issue is too important to be treated as a political football.

Examples of political football in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a tough and rough election year for incumbents, Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery has become a political football in California and across the nation. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 June 2026

Columnist Nancy Armour writes that FIFA and the United States are using Iran's national soccer team as a political football. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 15 June 2026

Presidents and members of Congress of both parties have understood for decades that American science is too valuable to be turned into a political football. — David J. Skorton, STAT, 12 June 2026

Days after the high cost of World Cup fees became a political football, officials in New Jersey on Friday revealed the final price fans will pay just to get to the stadium. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for political football

• mercaptoethanol
• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol