How to Use play ball in a Sentence

play ball

phrase
  • Caitlin Clark is one of the few star athletes in America today who just wants to play ball.
    — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • It was intended to force from-the-gun attacks but riders just didn’t play ball, waiting for their teammates to catch up.
    — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • The umpires congregated for 15 seconds, and then went back to playing ball.
    — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Other nearby governments already have gotten the message to play ball.
    — Marie-Rose Sheinerman, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
  • Joining some teenagers playing ball at a court off Backus Lane, Sandler stayed for a quick game and then posed for pictures with the group.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • Again, the promise of the federal housing bill is dependent on local governments’ willingness to play ball.
    — Christopher Calton, Oc Register, 29 June 2026
  • Dansby Swanson then hit into a forceout at second, beating the throw to first on the would-be double-play ball that Hoerner could have scored on to tie the game.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
  • For instance, if Duren tried to do three years, $75 million with a player option after two seasons, would Detroit have any incentive to play ball on something like that?
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Carlos Rodon executed his pitch perfectly, coaxing Christian Franklin into what should have been an inning-ending double-play ball hit straight to Chisholm at second base.
    — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Let’s play ball After the opening ceremonies, athleticism took center stage as the Los Angeles Queens and the New York Heights squared off.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Any hope that Farage had that the Clacton campaign would be similarly positive for him was dashed when the other political parties failed to play ball and he was left standing against the likes of Count Binface.
    — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Her third nomination could’ve been for A League of Their Own, Penny Marshall’s 1992 comedy about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League formed during World War II, but Winger ultimately decided not to play ball.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play ball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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