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

Next year, that at bat likely would have played out completely differently. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025

To maintain rookie eligibility, a player must not exceed 45 days of service time, 130 at bats, or 50 innings pitched. —Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 8, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. —Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025

The Little Leaguers did well to return the favor, peppering the major-league game that night with chants for specific players — and not always the ones at bat. —Tim Britton, New York Times, 18 Aug. 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