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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Consider his Goodworth Sofa, inspired by classic English house cane furniture and reinterpreted in a cleaner, more relaxed way.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
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Her cane held in her right hand, on her left foot, a cast.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
15 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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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
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Spit Heathcliff spends a lot of time straight-up licking Cathy’s face in this movie.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Adding further to the overall tension is the looming presence of a murderous knight in full armor roaming the countryside.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
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With 22 miles of beaches, the nation’s largest urban park system, and endless trails along the Timucuan Preserve and Boneyard Beach, there’s always space to roam.—
Carrie Honaker,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 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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Elsewhere, stories of economic gloom – from galloping inflation to restaurant closures and the knock-on impact of severe tax increases – describe the many ways in which the prolonged war in Ukraine is now hitting Russians hard in the pocket at home.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Finally, Kylie Minogue bags another top 40 hit thanks to the release of Tension Tour/Live 2025 (Mushroom Music) on CD and vinyl.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bat. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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