# play the man and not the ball

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/play-the-man-and-not-the-ball
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To object to someone's argument by attacking them or a facet of their personality instead of the argument itself; to make an ad hominem attack.

## Examples

- Don't play the man and not the ball during our debate.
- Instead of answering my question about the budget, he started playing the man and not the ball by criticizing my past mistakes.
- In a display of poor rhetoric, the politician chose to play the man and not the ball, ignoring the policy proposal entirely to focus on his opponent's character.

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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.