batted; batting
1
: to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2
a
: to advance (a base runner) by batting
b
: to have a batting average of
3
: to discuss at length : consider in detail
1
a
: to strike or hit a ball with a bat
b
: to take one's turn at bat
2
: to wander aimlessly
plural bats
: any of a widely distributed order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal usually frugivorous or insectivorous flying mammals that have wings formed from four elongated digits of the forelimb covered by a cutaneous membrane and that have adequate visual capabilities but often rely on echolocation
see also bats in the belfry
batted; batting
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
bachelor of arts in teaching
Examples of bat in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner
riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas
Verb (1)
batted the lamp off the table with one strike
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Bichette, dropping his bat weeks after suffering a knee sprain, admiring his work, could’ve been the crowning image for a promising prospect turned franchise stalwart.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Their first five hitters, and seven of their nine starters in Game 1, all bat right-handed.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bat
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
The Dodgers star was also on the mound on three days rest as Los Angeles hoped for a Hollywood ending despite a unique rule that could have prevented him from picking up the bat and taking the mound in the same game.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025
Bichette, dropping his bat weeks after suffering a knee sprain, admiring his work, could’ve been the crowning image for a promising prospect turned franchise stalwart.
—Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
Mark Blinch/Getty Images TORONTO – Daulton Varsho has come to bat 321 times for the Toronto Blue Jays this season.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Their first five hitters, and seven of their nine starters in Game 1, all bat right-handed.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bat
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bat. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bat
2 of 4 verb
batted; batting
1
: to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2
: to take one's turn at bat in baseball
3
: to have a batting average of
is batting .300
bat
3 of 4 noun
: any of an order of night-flying mammals with the forelimbs modified to form wings
bat
4 of 4 verb
batted; batting
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
Etymology
Noun
Old English batt "club"
Noun
from Middle English bakke "flying bat"; probably of Scandinavian origin
Verb
probably an altered form of earlier bate "to beat the wings in an impatient manner"
Medical Definition
bat
noun
: any of an order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal placental flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share