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
The bat is most commonly found throughout much of Mexico and in the southwest United States, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, per NABat. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026 The six accounts that the company’s moderators left up had shared many heinous videos, including a toddler being struck in the face with a frying pan, a girl being beaten with a baseball bat, and a baby being kicked. — Jon Christian, Futurism, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
Earlier in the game, Thomas’ pressure sped up Milroe, who saw his pass batted down by defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. — Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026 Jets corner Qwan’tez Stiggers closed on the pass, batted it into the air and into the hands of teammate Marcelino McCrary-Ball for the pick. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 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
  • There have been plenty of in-game rotations, promising combinations, fluidity and creativity, but without the delivery of a final hammer blow.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The residents had sustained another blow when my friend, John Ahern, was a passenger on Pan Am Flight 103 that exploded on December 21, 1988 from a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • Brazil’s ethanol pivot and India’s sugar imports Higher energy prices are also making ethanol more attractive relative to sugar in Brazil, where mills can shift cane between the two products.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Police said Strode walks with a cane, usually wears sunglasses and carries a medical alert necklace.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of cane
Verb
  • That’s because key refineries that produce it have been knocked offline or destroyed, both in Eastern Europe — where the Ukraine-Russia war still rages — and in the Middle East.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In the opening game of the 2025 season, Clark received a flagrant foul for knocking Reese to the floor as Reese attempted to score.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • There was the physician who analyzed the growth rate of his fingernails for 35 years and the geologist who looked into why his colleagues lick rocks.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2026
  • An ancient Nazi scientist (Dan Stevens) crawling across a carpet to lick a woman’s stilettoed foot.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lick
Verb
  • For millions of years, Pacific mastodons — huge, hairy relatives of modern elephants — roamed a vast and lush range that included California, Oregon, the northern Rocky Mountains and parts of Mexico.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The coyote, known to neighbors as Wendy, roamed a Studio City neighborhood for about a year with an extremely swollen face before wildlife and animal rescue groups captured her last week.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of roam
Noun
  • If those ground tests show the jet’s acoustic thump is soft enough for suburban skies, NASA plans to fly the X-59 over several US communities to gather public feedback.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Their pitching is good, Griffin Jax could return soon, and Liam Hicks has added some thump to a lineup previously built around three really good hitters (Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda) and a bunch of do-your-job role players.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of thump
Noun
  • The military said Chinese coast guard personnel aboard a motorboat repeatedly struck the sailor on the head with a wooden baton, injuring him and damaging his smaller vessel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Mallorie Sullivan here, taking the Daily Briefing baton from Nicole Fallert.
    — Mallorie Sullivan, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of baton
Verb
  • If the Sabres can find some more success with the man advantage, Thompson shouldn’t have much trouble hitting the 40-goal mark again.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Japan's 10-year government bond yield recently breached 3%, hitting a high not seen in roughly 30 years.
    — , CNBC, 9 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bat

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