Meaning
It is now someone else’s turn or responsibility to make a decision, respond, or take the next action, since you have done everything you can on your end.
It is used to signal that the process is temporarily out of your hands and progress now depends entirely on the other person’s move.
Origin
The phrase comes directly from tennis and similar racket sports, where the ball must be on one player’s side of the court before that player is obligated to hit it back; once it crosses over, responsibility for the next move belongs entirely to whoever’s court it lands in. The image transferred naturally into general English during the twentieth century to describe negotiations, decisions, and any situation with an alternating back-and-forth structure.
Examples
I have sent over the revised contract, so the ball is in your court now.
We have apologized and offered a refund, the ball is in their court to accept it or not.
The company made its final offer, so the ball is in the union’s court.
A: Have you heard back from the landlord about the repairs?
B: Not yet, I sent the request last week, so the ball is in his court.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'Ball is in your court' mean?
It is now someone else’s turn or responsibility to make a decision, respond, or take the next action, since you have done everything you can on your end.
It is used to signal that the process is temporarily out of your hands and progress now depends entirely on the other person’s move.