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
The firm's deal to buy two Panama Canal ports from Hong Kong's CK Hutchison has become a political football among the governments of the U.S., Panama and China.
—
Emily Peck, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Others’ loans, however, were stuck in limbo and became a political football as the Biden administration’s plans for student loan forgiveness hit a wall of legal challenges.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
This approach is fiscally prudent and seeks to avoid the SBR becoming a political football, as the use of taxpayer funds to accumulate a volatile asset could open the administration to criticism about the use of taxpayer funds for something that most Americans don’t fully understand.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Newsom holds the ultimate trump card in their case, with the ability to grant clemency to the brothers whose case became a political football and was passed from one district attorney to another, becoming at-risk of becoming a victim of ongoing culture wars.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for political football
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Emily Peck, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Others’ loans, however, were stuck in limbo and became a political football as the Biden administration’s plans for student loan forgiveness hit a wall of legal challenges.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
This approach is fiscally prudent and seeks to avoid the SBR becoming a political football, as the use of taxpayer funds to accumulate a volatile asset could open the administration to criticism about the use of taxpayer funds for something that most Americans don’t fully understand.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Newsom holds the ultimate trump card in their case, with the ability to grant clemency to the brothers whose case became a political football and was passed from one district attorney to another, becoming at-risk of becoming a victim of ongoing culture wars.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for political football
Cite this Entry
“Political football.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/political%20football. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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