# keep one's eye on the ball

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/keep-ones-eye-on-the-ball
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To maintain one's concentration fixed on one important theme.

## Examples

- You must keep your eye on the ball to finish this project.
- You need to keep your eye on the ball during this long exam.
- He keeps his eye on the ball to avoid making mistakes with the money.
- The market is changing quickly, so we need to keep our eye on the ball to stay ahead of the competition.
- With three children running around the house, it is hard for me to keep my eye on the ball while I work from home.
- The chef told the new staff to keep their eye on the ball so that no orders were sent to the wrong tables.
- Even though the holiday is approaching, the team must keep their eye on the ball to meet the safety requirements by Friday.
- Despite the numerous distractions and minor setbacks encountered during the negotiation, the lead diplomat managed to keep her eye on the ball until the final agreement was signed.

## Origin

The phrase originated as general sporting advice to maintain visual contact with the ball throughout a play. It was associated particularly with the instruction given to a golfer when addressing the ball on the tee.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.