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
  • Fortunately, plenty of new high-tech tools offer assistance, including robot guide dogs, a cane-bot (looking a bit like a small R2D2 with giant wheels), multiple types of smart glasses with descriptive audio, and even a haptic vest for blind dogs.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026
  • My wife requires a cane or walker due to spinal stenosis and muscular weakness.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • Queen Sofía is understood never to have loaned pieces from the collection to other family members before, making Leonor’s choice an especially meaningful passing of the sartorial baton.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Outgoing Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi used his final county budget hearing Tuesday to defend his record, tout his accomplishments and call for his replacement to pick up the baton on several unresolved reforms.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 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 4 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bastinado

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bastinado

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