ballpark
B2-C1Informal, primarily spoken and business
Definition
Meaning
A baseball stadium or field.
An approximate range, estimate, or set of possibilities; a very rough figure or area of consideration.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The figurative sense is more common than the literal in modern general usage. As an adjective ('a ballpark figure') it denotes approximation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The literal meaning refers to an American sport, so is less culturally relevant in the UK. The figurative sense is understood but less frequently used in everyday British English compared to American English.
Connotations
In US English, carries connotations of American culture and business. In UK English, the figurative use can sound somewhat Americanized.
Frequency
Far more frequent in American English across all registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be in the same ballpark (as)give a ballpark figure (of)a ballpark of [number]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the ballpark”
- “in the same ballpark”
- “out of the ballpark (derived from 'out of the park')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Frequent in negotiations and planning: 'Can you give me a ballpark figure for the project?'
Academic
Rare, except in informal discussion of data or estimates.
Everyday
Common in US English for discussing costs, time, or size. Less common in UK.
Technical
Used informally in engineering, software, and project management to indicate preliminary scope.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We can ballpark the total at around fifty thousand.
- He ballparked the attendance for the event.
American English
- Let's ballpark the budget before the detailed analysis.
- I can ballpark it for you right now.
adverb
British English
- The cost will be, ballpark, about £10,000.
- We're thinking ballpark fifty attendees.
American English
- The project will take, ballpark, three months.
- The population is ballpark 100,000.
adjective
British English
- We need a ballpark estimate by tomorrow.
- She gave a ballpark calculation of the costs.
American English
- Just give me a ballpark number. Is it six figures?
- The contractor provided a ballpark quote.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children went to the ballpark to see a baseball game.
- It is a big, green ballpark.
- The new ballpark in the city centre is very modern.
- Can you give me a ballpark figure for the holiday?
- His estimate wasn't exact, but it was in the right ballpark.
- Our proposals are in the same ballpark, so agreement should be possible.
- The consultant ballparked the initial investment at a quarter of a million, pending due diligence.
- While the two models differ in detail, their performance metrics are essentially in the same ballpark.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a baseball PARK where you can't see the exact number of seats from a distance—you only get a ROUGH IDEA of the crowd size.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY/ACCURACY IS SPATIAL PROXIMITY (being 'in' the ballpark means being acceptably close).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'мяч парк'.
- The figurative sense is not directly equivalent to 'округлённый' or 'приблизительный' as standalone adjectives; it's a noun phrase ('ballpark figure').
- Avoid using it to mean 'stadium' for sports other than baseball.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'ballpark' as a standalone adjective (e.g., 'The cost is ballpark' – incorrect). It should be 'a ballpark figure'.
- Confusing 'in the ballpark' (close) with 'out of the ballpark' (a huge success, from 'home run').
Practice
Quiz
What does 'in the same ballpark' typically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is understood in other varieties, but its origin and highest frequency are in American English. The figurative use is increasingly global, especially in business contexts.
Yes, informally, especially in American English. It means to estimate roughly (e.g., 'Can you ballpark the cost?').
A 'ballpark figure' is explicitly a very rough, preliminary estimate, often used to set expectations before detailed analysis. An 'estimate' can range from rough to fairly precise.
No, this is a common mistake. 'Ballpark' in the figurative sense is almost always used attributively (before a noun like 'figure' or 'estimate') or in phrases like 'in the ballpark'. Say 'The price is in the ballpark' or 'a ballpark price'.
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