at bat

noun

plural at bats

baseball

: a turn at batting

had three hits in five at bats

Note: For the purposes of calculating a player's batting average and slugging percentage, an official at bat is charged for each turn at batting except when the player walks, hits a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly, is hit by a pitched ball, or is interfered with by the catcher.

Examples of at bat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Of his 17 homers on the season, he's hit nine in 174 at bats at home, compared to eight in 185 road ABs. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025

Lukes ended a 14-pitch at bat in the fourth inning with a tiebreaking two-run double off Clayton Beeter (0-1). —Ian Harrison, Baltimore Sun, 4 July 2025

And other than Acuna and sometimes Ozuna and Olson, no consistency at bat. —David O'Brien, New York Times, 16 June 2025

First Aaron Judge and then Shohei Ohtani homered at their respective first at bats of the game, making history as the first reigning MVPs to hit a home run in the opening inning of the same game. —Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 31 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for at bat

• begat
• bobcat
• chitchat
• doormat
• ducat
• eclat
• format
• hazmat
• muskrat
• nonfat
• polecat
• thereat