switch-hitter

noun

switch-hit·​ter ˈswich-ˈhi-tər How to pronounce switch-hitter (audio)
1
: a baseball player who switch-hits
2
slang : bisexual
3
: one that is flexible or adaptable
especially : a person who can work equally well in either of two jobs or capacities

Examples of switch-hitter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Out west, Cal Raleigh didn’t hit a home run this weekend, but finished his breakout season with 60, setting the record for a catcher and for a switch-hitter, and coming two shy of Aaron Judge’s AL-record of 62 set three years ago. Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2025 The switch-hitter’s 60th came in the eighth off right-handed reliever Angel Chivilli, making Raleigh one of just seven players to hit 60 or more home runs in a season. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025 Cal Raleigh broke the Mariners' franchise single-season home-run record with his 57th of the season in Seattle's 6-4 win at Houston on Saturday night, also extending his major-league record for home runs in a season by a switch-hitter. Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025 Raleigh, who leads the majors in home runs, has already surpassed Mickey Mantle’s Major League record for home runs by a switch-hitter of 54 that had stood since 1961. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for switch-hitter

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of switch-hitter was in 1919

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Cite this Entry

“Switch-hitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/switch-hitter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

switch-hitter

noun
switch-hit·​ter
-ˌhit-ər
: a baseball player who can bat either left-handed or right-handed
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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