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
Relevance
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bat
CBS News, 16 June 2026
Manager Craig Counsell didn’t have the cycle in mind after Crow-Armstrong collected the hardest two parts in his first two at-bats.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
And the Padres batted last all night and had the chance to win far too often to end up losing.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bat
Noun
Reese Bassinger came on to face Blake Cavill, who struck out for the seventh time in 13 CWS at-bats.
—CBS News, 16 June 2026
Manager Craig Counsell didn’t have the cycle in mind after Crow-Armstrong collected the hardest two parts in his first two at-bats.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Verb
Alvarez, who batted 2-for-4 from the plate and allowed just one earned run on four hits in a complete game from the circle, followed with another RBI double for a second run.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
And the Padres batted last all night and had the chance to win far too often to end up losing.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bat
Noun
-
The rookie took a deep breath, settled into his stance and watched as Houston’s pitcher, Enyel De Los Santos, attempted to deliver the final blow.—
Latif Love
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Star third baseman José Ramírez broke a bone in his left hand on a swing Saturday and will be sidelined for an indefinite period, a massive blow to the two-time defending AL Central champions.—
Tom Withers,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Rick Valente, a patient who visits a third-floor doctor's office several times a month, said he has been forced to climb the stairs despite relying on a cane for stability.—
Bri Buckley,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
As for your cane, there’s a place for that at the door.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
On Tuesday, the Red Sox had base runners in every inning against Jays starter Dylan Cease, knocking him out after five innings and 108 pitches.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
While detailing the facts of the case on Tuesday, Tellman told the judge that Lawhead knocked at the door, brandished a gun and ordered her to leave the home with him.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Bring along a friend who wouldn’t be able to indulge in these kinds of finger-licking treats otherwise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 June 2026
-
The image of the students as vivisectors, committed to extracting the hearts and licking the bones of the transgressors in their midst, seems to mirror her own hatred of the university’s tendency toward frenzied analysis.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
With far less hair, Ella’s green eyes seemed greener, like those of the feral black cats that roamed their hamlet, meowing for table scraps, which were often given without hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
-
Mesalands Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico Part of Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico, the Dinosaur Museum and Natural Science Laboratory offers a look at the mighty creatures that once roamed the area during the Mesozoic era.—
Elizabeth Rhodes,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
While playing Pragmata, the thump of approaching robots had solid directionality, and the weapon blasts had a good amount of low-end force.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2026
-
The driver’s side opens, releasing the thump of music and a tall, lean figure.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Citizen Officers in riot gear responded with batons and zip ties and ordered the crowd to disperse.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
-
During the event, Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman symbolically passed a baton to Bresnik while joined by other members of the Artemis II crew.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Lightning hits the United States approximately 25 million times annually.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
-
Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee saw his 18-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the majors entering play, come to an end after going hitless in three at-bats.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bat. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
