bat 1 of 2

noun

ˈbat How to pronounce bat (audio)
Definition of batnext
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

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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

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bat

2 of 2

verb

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

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2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly batted the piñata until it finally broke open

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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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bat
Noun
Because third baseman Graham Pauley is so gifted defensively, the Marlins kept waiting and waiting for his bat to come alive — and stay alive. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026 Testing through the Sacramento County Public Health Lab later confirmed the bat had rabies. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
At one point, Posada requested to be taken out of the lineup after he was penciled to bat ninth. — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Ryan Greene tracked a puck that bounced at the top of the crease and into the air and batted it past Schmid and into the net. — Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bat
  1. blow
  2. cane
  3. knock
  4. lick
  5. roam
  6. thump
  7. baton
  8. hit
Noun
  • Toney is one of the leaders on the team, so losing him before the biggest game of the regular season was a tough blow.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
  • While the announcement doesn’t guarantee that Eisenkot will be the next prime minister, Herzog’s decision is another blow to Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of blow
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
Verb
  • Notably, Wendy’s let rival Burger King surpass it in US sales this year, knocking it down to the country’s third-biggest burger chain.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
  • After its first outing, Clinton got a handrail to hold onto because the crowd’s reaction had nearly knocked him off the platform.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Unfortunately for us, those tenants have evolved a sticky knack for evading eviction, creating a webbing known as biofilm that prevents them from being easily licked or swallowed away.
    — Mike McRae, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
  • That’s not exactly chump change, considering Atlanta was still licking its wounds after the Great Depression.
    — Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • The pack of dogs had been roaming onto an oil field in Oxnard, traipsing onto private property and walking perilously close to vehicular traffic.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Biologists know the lands on which panthers prefer to roam, and there’s been proven success when that land is conserved and connected.
    — Max Chesnes, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of roam
Noun
  • But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Noun
  • Hundreds of protesters shielding the tent camp were dispersed by police using shields and some baton charges, the Reuters news agency reported.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2026
  • 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
Definition of baton
Verb
  • Moderna just hit a new high The stock is up about 36% in a month.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Because their immune systems are still developing, influenza can hit them hard and fast and can quickly spiral into serious complications including pneumonia, extreme dehydration, brain inflammation or death.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of hit

Phrases Containing bat

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bastions
bat
bat (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bat. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bat

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