bunt

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈbənt 

1

a

: the middle part of a square sail

b

: the part of a furled sail gathered up in a bunch at the center of the yard

2

: the bagging part of a fishing net

bunt

2 of 4

verb

bunted; bunting; bunts

transitive verb

1

: to strike or push with or as if with the head : butt

2

: to push or tap (a baseball) lightly with a bat without swinging

intransitive verb

: to bunt a baseball

bunter noun

bunt

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: an act or instance of bunting

2

: a bunted ball

bunt

4 of 4

noun (3)

: a destructive smut disease of wheat caused by a fungus (genus Tilletia)

Examples of bunt in a Sentence

Verb

The batter bunted for a single.

He bunted the ball toward third base.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dane Myers dropped a run-scoring bunt later in the inning that stretched the lead to 5-2. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Luis Castillo pounced off the mound, scooped up TJ Friedl’s bunt and made a glove-hand toss to first to retire the Cincinnati Reds center fielder to end the fifth inning. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

Verb

Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell was hit by a 94 mph fastball by Mahle while trying to bunt in the fourth inning and left the game with a bruised forearm. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Josh Lowe failed to get a bunt down, striking out when trying to bunt with two strikes. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from Low German, bundle, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English byndel bundle

Verb

alteration of butt

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1584, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

circa 1790, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bunt

• drag bunt
• sac bunt
• sacrifice bunt

Rhymes for bunt

• blunt
• brunt
• front
• grunt
• shunt
• stunt
• affront
• confront
• exeunt
• forefront
• lakefront
• manhunt

Kids Definition

bunt

verb

ˈbənt

1

: to strike or push with the horns or head : butt

2

: to push or tap a baseball lightly without swinging the bat

bunt noun

bunter noun