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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bastinado
  1. cane
  2. baton
Noun
  • As for full-body treatments, the Prickly Pear Sugar Scrub draws on Sonoran Desert botanicals like prickly pear and calendula extract, combined with cane-sugar-rich oils and hydrating body butter, for a thoroughly rejuvenating exfoliation.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That resident could be seen later walking with a cane after taking that leap of faith from his third-floor window.
    — Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • The Unbadged invited people to submit videos of personnel who used batons and tear gas against protestors without wearing a name badge, which police are legally required to wear.
    — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Police found a collapsible baton inside the bag, but have not recovered any political leaflets that would suggest an act of protest.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bastinado.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bastinado. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bastinado

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bastinado

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All