bastinado

noun

ˌba-stə-ˈnā-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce bastinado (audio)
variants or bastinade
Definition of bastinadonext
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment the guards savagely beat the prisoner's feet with a bastinado

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastinado
  1. cane
  2. baton
Noun
  • His son, Henry, went on to bankroll dormitories on Molokai, using a fortune founded on sugar cane.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • This could be an A-frame structure of bamboo canes or wigwams.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 18 July 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • In one case reviewed by The Marshall Project, an incarcerated man reported being pepper-sprayed, choked, beaten with a baton and repeatedly called racial slurs by Kentucky officers who were later convicted.
    — Christie Thompson, NPR, 13 July 2026
  • In 1979, de Halden accepted an invitation to take up the baton of festival head at the Berlin Film Festival, leaving his wife to lead Nyon with his support until 1993.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 July 2026
Definition of baton
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bastilles
bastinado
bastinadoes
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Cite this Entry

“Bastinado.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastinado. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bastinado

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bastinado

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