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

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The only problem is that the mayor has made a political football of it. Richard Florida, The Atlantic, 4 May 2026 Workers and businesses that depend on the port cannot afford for this to become a political football. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 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 Never mind the fact that pretty much everyone with a social-media account was seeing the same video, in some cases sharing it, in some cases reducing Iryna to a political football. Julia Coin april 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for political football

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“Political football.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/political%20football. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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