designated hitter

noun

1

: a baseball player designated at the start of the game to bat in place of the pitcher without causing the pitcher to be removed from the game

2

: representative, substitute

Synonyms of designated hitter

• replacement
• substitute

Examples of designated hitter in a Sentence

you'll have to be my designated hitter in the office while I'm on business trips

Recent Examples on the Web

Schwarber doesn’t come near matching those players’ defensive value, but the Phillies designated hitter’s rare hitting ability creates large problems. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026

David Sandlin’s first big-league pitch initially was called a strike but got switched to a ball after an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge by Minnesota Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton. —Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026

Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber — who leads the majors with 20 home runs — sat out the second straight game with an illness. —CBS News, 20 May 2026

Fellow freshmen designated hitter Dylan Dubovik and third baseman Gabriel Milano followed Alonzo with walks to put runners on first and second. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for designated hitter

• babysitter
• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter