1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to knock
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
batted the lamp off the table with one strike
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bat
Michael Y. Park, Architectural Digest, 17 Feb. 2026
With better lineups to come, finding more consistent dominant stuff may be necessary; otherwise, the Aggies' bats won't be able to afford a day off at the dish.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Katie Woo, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Go to feel the ground shake and the sky roar when Mahendra Singh Dhoni walks out to bat.
—Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bat
Noun
But the rent-to-own market encompasses a broader base of people, including those who can’t buy a home right off the bat but who may be able to eventually.
—Michael Y. Park, Architectural Digest, 17 Feb. 2026
With better lineups to come, finding more consistent dominant stuff may be necessary; otherwise, the Aggies' bats won't be able to afford a day off at the dish.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
If Roberts bats Tucker second and Smith fifth, Freeman would likely take over as the cleanup hitter.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Go to feel the ground shake and the sky roar when Mahendra Singh Dhoni walks out to bat.
—Samanth Subramanian, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bat
Noun
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Now there’s clear animosity between the teams, which is intriguing for the casual viewer but a blow to the curling community.—
Julia Frankel,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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In an attempt to cushion this blow, Congress created a $50-billion Rural Health Transformation Project.—
Ana B. Ibarra,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Here, a neutral palette, cane furniture, and botanical textiles lend the accommodation a cozy, comfortable feel.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
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Fall-fruiting raspberries fruit on canes that grew in the current season (primocanes), whereas summer-bearing raspberries only develop fruit on second-year canes (floricanes).—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
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Even just 6 inches of swiftly moving water can forcefully knock you off your feet.—
Mobile Web,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
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England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Luke Skywalker will roam Black Spire Outpost seeking knowledge of the Force and kyber crystals that power lightsabers.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
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Rock iguanas once roamed freely across the islands of Turks and Caicos.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pitchers and catchers report This week, Albernaz gets a glimpse of his pitching staff and catchers, before the thump of an offensive lineup joins the workouts.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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For what felt like an eternity — but was really 20 minutes — the whole place was enveloped in an eerie silence, the only sound being the steady thump of techno-pop playing through the loudspeakers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With equal panache, and without cutting away, the narrative focus is handed like a baton in a relay race to the arriving Mayor Dumont (Josse De Pauw) and his daughter and press attaché Marie (Violet Braeckman).—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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According to those reports, during her arrest in December, she was beaten repeatedly with wooden sticks and batons and dragged across the ground by her hair, sustaining injuries that left open wounds on her head.—
Jomana Karadsheh,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As former agent and cap expert Joel Corry told me, the amount that Ross agrees to pay of Tagovailoa’s 2026 salary (for a new team) would not have much effect on his Dolphins’ dead money cap hit provided the trade is made after June 1.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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Some of the students at Naperville North tried to mimic the coach’s actions, working on their technique, while other appeared to be more focused on hitting the ball to their friend as hard as possible.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bat. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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