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

During his second at bat to lead off the bottom of the third, Abreu took a 3-2 sinker that was up and in but initially called strike three. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 Mar. 2026

The 26-year-old former first-round draft pick was in line to receive a fair amount of at bats this spring with infielder Cody Freeman (lumbar stress reaction) sidelined for the majority of camp and Jung out. —Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026

Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ted Williams was at bat when the Boardwalk and Baseball theme park opened south of Orlando in Haines City on April 4, 1987. —Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026

Yamamoto would see eight at bats on the day, logging 30 pitches. —Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026

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