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

If Ryan McMahon really did revive their season with that grinding 12-pitch at bat against Yankee-killing Rays ace Drew Rasmussen last Thursday, what can Brian Cashman do to sufficiently fix the roster for a deep postseason run? — Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026

Ward added his first home run at Camden Yards this season in the sixth inning before Henderson capped the scoring with his first long ball since June 19 on the first pitch of his at bat in the eighth. — ABC News, 11 July 2026

At his first at bat, Alfonzo — the son of the former MLB catcher with the same name — walked to the plate and soaked in the moment. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

The Japanese standout has struggled to earn playing time all season, and even after Anthony went down and theoretically opened a starting spot, Yoshida still battled for at bats with Mickey Gasper. — Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 28 June 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