BATS Synonyms: 354 Similar and Opposite Words

bats 1 of 3

adjective

ˈbats

Definition of bats

as in psychotic

unable to think in a clear or sensible way by film's end it's obvious that faded movie star Norma Desmond is completely bats

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bats

2 of 3

noun

plural of bat

as in hits

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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as in canes

a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas

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bats

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of bat

as in knocks

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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as in licks

to strike repeatedly batted the piñata until it finally broke open

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as in roams

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 bats

Noun

Their only hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position was Cronenworth’s bunt single in the sixth inning that moved France to third base just before Miguel Andujar grounded into an inning-ending double play. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 With the decision to keep Cole in backfiring and the Bombers’ bats silent against Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers’ bullpen, the Yankees began their second half with a 2-1 loss to the back-to-back champions. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026 During his near-perfect outing against the Athletics on July 5, the Dominican native repeatedly worked through deep counts without allowing the at-bats to speed him up. — Tyler M. Carmona july 17, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026 Raccoons and bats are the primary carriers of rabies identified in the state this year. — Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 16 July 2026 And then, in the second half of 2025, their numbers cratered, ranking 69th and 75th among 84 qualified bats. — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 16 July 2026 Imanaga recovered a bit after the leadoff home run, but the Cardinals lineup coaxed long at-bats and drove up his pitch count, chasing the left-hander from the game after 4 2/3 innings. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 Twins hitters have very little experience against Weathers, getting three hits in 10 at-bats. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 Josh Bell homered in consecutive at-bats and the Minnesota Twins hit six homers in a game for the first time in nearly three years to pull away for an 11-4 victory over the slumping New York Yankees on Saturday. — ABC News, 4 July 2026

Verb

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior first baseman not only starts but also bats cleanup for the Wildcats, who have returned to the state semifinals. — Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026 With the light nearly gone — the UMass Dartmouth field doesn’t have lights — Callahan silenced the Raiders bats one more time and this eventually led to the decision to pause the game. — Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026 That Ohtani guy bats leadoff for the Dodgers, after all. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 5 June 2026 Schmidt, who bats and throws left, led off the bottom of the seventh with a sharp single to right field. — Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 Inés has been raised in a world of strange ellipses, and hardly bats an eye when the hotel bartender goes quiet after someone mentions his missing brother, but Hanna (Maia Rae Domagala) is a different story. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 May 2026 Jordan Woolery, who bats behind her at third in the lineup, has 107 RBIs and was the Big Ten Player of the Year. — ABC News, 10 May 2026 Altuve bats fifth For the first time in his career, Altuve started a regular-season game batting in the fifth spot in the lineup. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026 Peralta then was replaced by left-hander Brooks Raley, and Kelly was sent up to hit for Moisés Ballesteros, a rookie who bats from the left side. — CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bats

Adjective

The Drug Enforcement Administration says kratom produces stimulant effects in low doses and sedative effects in high doses, and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.

— Jake Rosenwasser, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Those diagnoses included schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, major depressive disorder, and bipolar or related disorders.

— Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of psychotic

Noun

Start by directing growth straight up the vertical supports until canes reach the top, then use horizontal training to guide stems laterally across the beams.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
Snappers, snakes, toy pistols with caps and toy canes with caps are the only fireworks allowed.

— Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026

Definition of canes

Verb

Those knocks, a masterful performance from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and a late implosion set the Yankees up for an 8-2 loss in the first game of a split doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026
My parents tell stories about me sleeping through loud construction, alarms, and heavy knocks on my bedroom door.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2026

Definition of knocks

Verb

North Carolina will be under the microscope as long as Bill Belichick roams the sidelines in Chapel Hill.

— Antonio Morales, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Today, the herd roams the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and is managed in partnership with the local fire company, which hosts the annual pony swim—a beloved local tradition.

— Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026

Definition of roams

Noun

In a little corner of my mind, however, history will always mean the tragic smashing of individual lives by its cruel hands and the scattering of bewildered people reeling from its blows.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
One way to look at the Washington Nationals’ kick-in-the-groin sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees — three leads in the eighth inning, three dizzying losses — is that none of the previous blows this team has taken have permanently felled it.

— Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of blows

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of bats

adjective

noun

verb

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