playing hardball
Taking no prisoners
Playing hardball is using aggressive, uncompromising tactics to achieve a goal.
The metaphor comes from baseball—hardball as opposed to the gentler softball.
In business or politics, someone playing hardball refuses to negotiate gently: The union decided to play hardball during contract talks.
The phrase implies a willingness to be ruthless.
- catchSeize or snag
- toughnessResilient durability under strain
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- assertivenessConfident self-expression quality
- intransigenceRefusal to compromise
ultimatum · brinkmanship · high stakes · strategy · anchoring · throw · competition · aggression · cutthroat · strongarm · arm twisting · swing · intimidation · zero-sum · pressure · tough love · no holds barred · escalation
- sports idiomsthrow in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field, hit it out of the park
- power tacticspower grab, strong-arm, strong-arming, strongarm, hardball
- competition metaphorslevel playing field, race to the bottom, win-win, rat race, front runner
playing hardballplaying nice
Behaving agreeably with others
compromising · caving in · rolling over · bending over backwards · giving ground
play, plays, played, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness, replay