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
Somebody had dropped the baton.
—
Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Alite provided loans at exorbitant rates before threatening violence to collect on them, authorities said, citing the discovery in his home of metal knuckles, an expandable baton, six baseball bats and about two dozen knives, including switchblades.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Officers can use voice commands, and if those don’t work options include pepper spray, a baton, a TASER or fire extinguisher, though some are more difficult to use on a fast-moving animal, the directive says.
—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
That choice became a cautionary tale for Democrats who argue that too many of the old guard have selfishly refused to pass the baton to the younger generation.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for baton
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Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Alite provided loans at exorbitant rates before threatening violence to collect on them, authorities said, citing the discovery in his home of metal knuckles, an expandable baton, six baseball bats and about two dozen knives, including switchblades.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Officers can use voice commands, and if those don’t work options include pepper spray, a baton, a TASER or fire extinguisher, though some are more difficult to use on a fast-moving animal, the directive says.
—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
That choice became a cautionary tale for Democrats who argue that too many of the old guard have selfishly refused to pass the baton to the younger generation.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for baton
Cite this Entry
“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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
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