plural batons
1
: cudgel, truncheon
specifically
: billy club
2
: a staff borne as a symbol of office
3
: a narrow heraldic bend
4
: a slender rod with which a leader directs a band or orchestra
5
: a hollow cylinder carried by each member of a relay team and passed to the succeeding runner
6
: a hollow metal rod with a weighted bulb at one or both ends that is flourished by a drum major or drum majorette
7
: a piece of food that has been cut into a narrow strip that is thicker than a julienned piece of food
We cut carrots into slabs, then batons, then dice.—
Janet Rausa Fuller
Janet Rausa FullerExamples of baton in a Sentence
The majorette twirled the baton.
the detainee claimed that the police had beat him with their batons even after he had been shackled
Recent Examples on the Web
When more officers got to the scene, while officers held Nichols' arms and hit him with a barrage of kicks, punches, baton strikes and pepper spray.
—Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Video of the beating, captured by a police pole camera, showed Nichols being held by his arms as officers punched, kicked and struck him with a baton, according to reports from the AP and The Commercial Appeal newspaper.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The roar of alternative outlets could be heard too, hints that a baton was being passed, or taken.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2025
Vakili said the family has been able to access photos from the coroner’s office that depict the locations of his injuries from what appear to be baton and taser strikes.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
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.
Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Video of the beating, captured by a police pole camera, showed Nichols being held by his arms as officers punched, kicked and struck him with a baton, according to reports from the AP and The Commercial Appeal newspaper.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The roar of alternative outlets could be heard too, hints that a baton was being passed, or taken.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2025
Vakili said the family has been able to access photos from the coroner’s office that depict the locations of his injuries from what appear to be baton and taser strikes.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
Cite this Entry
“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baton
noun
ba·ton
bə-ˈtän 
ba-
1
: a staff borne as a symbol of office
2
: a stick with which a leader directs a band or orchestra
3
: a hollow rod passed from one member of a relay team to another
4
: a staff with a ball at one or both ends carried by a drum major or baton twirler
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share