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

Langford and Seager got nice rounds of applause upon their returns to the plate but neither recorded a hit in their first at bat with a fly out and a pop out respectively. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2026

Outfielder Dillon Lewis, who the Marlins view as the prospect with the highest ceiling in that trade, has 11 homers and 30 RBI in 43 games (159 at bats) at Double A Pensacola. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026

Cubs pitcher Jon Lester sets a new record for most hitless at bats to begin a career with 58 at bats without a hit. —Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026

This spring Nolan has been first at bat promotionally, his TV presenters reminding us of the seven Oscars and billion-dollar grosses on Oppenheimer. —Peter Bart, Deadline, 22 May 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