plural badges
1
: a device or token especially of membership in a society or group
2
: a characteristic mark
3
: an emblem awarded for a particular accomplishment
4
British
: button sense 1b
Solicitors have reacted with dismay after Staffordshire courts ordered them to remove "political" badges.—
Birmingham (England) Post
Birmingham (England) Post
badged; badging; badges
: to mark or distinguish (someone or something) with or as if with a badge
Guests arrived and were counted and badged.—The New Yorker
The New YorkerThey were dressed in uniform, too, but theirs were everyday uniforms, not ceremonial. Dark olive cloth, worn and creased, badged here and there with the unfamiliar insignia of their rank.—Lee Child
Lee ChildMy daughter's hands were raw and scraped from shucking four hundred oysters the night before, her knuckles badged with tiny, brilliant, forming scabs.—William Boyd
William BoydExamples of badge in a Sentence
Noun
The policeman flashed his badge.
Don't forget to wear your name badge.
The receptionist glanced at my visitor's badge.
She earned 10 merit badges in scouting.
She was wearing a badge that read “Support your local library.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Some vehicles—particularly Hondas, and most notably the hot-selling CR-V—stash the distance sensors responsible for features like automatic emergency braking and radar cruise control behind the badge up front.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Timmons’ bill would also require officers to visibly display information including their agency, name and badge number.
—Ari Fife, The Frontier, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badge
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Noun
Powell said being mentioned in trade rumors is almost a badge of honor, indicating that you’re valued.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Some vehicles—particularly Hondas, and most notably the hot-selling CR-V—stash the distance sensors responsible for features like automatic emergency braking and radar cruise control behind the badge up front.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
In addition to its felony referral process, the executive order directs police to verify the names and badge numbers of immigration agents in leadership roles when responding to the scene of immigration enforcement actions.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Timmons’ bill would also require officers to visibly display information including their agency, name and badge number.
—Ari Fife, The Frontier, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for badge
Cite this Entry
“Badge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badge. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
badge
noun
: a mark or sign worn to show that a person belongs to a certain group, class, or rank
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
