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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in canes
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 knocks
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 licks
to strike repeatedly
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bats
Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
After white-nose syndrome arrives in an area, the loss of bats has significant consequences for farmers.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Just like that, the Mets bats are alive after looking dead during a dreadful 12-game skid months ago.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
After Cal Raleigh walked, struck out and flew out in his first three plate appearances Tuesday, his hitless streak stretched to 38 consecutive at-bats.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Some types of birds show this behavior, too, but additional information can be used to determine if birds or bats are on the radar.
—Marta Hill, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
According to a study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, more bats and birds will steer clear of wind turbines when their blades are painted with colors similar to animals like venomous coral snakes and poison dart frogs.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026
The starter got the Marlins to swing early in at-bats, inducing a lot of weak contact which allowed for all of the fast innings.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
Kelly has flipped eight at-bats that turned into strikeouts and has eliminated three would-be walks.
—Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 12 May 2026
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
Pontrelli bats leadoff for Lemont.
—Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 5 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
Right fielder Kyle Tucker usually bats behind leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Obviously, there are ambitions for Broadway and the West End, but Tiffany bats such thoughts aside.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The food chain is in full and pitiless effect, and no one bats an eye, or side-eyes a bat, when natural predatory impulses kick in.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
The results might not be there, but the at-bats and the barrels are still there.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
After white-nose syndrome arrives in an area, the loss of bats has significant consequences for farmers.
—The Conversation, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Just like that, the Mets bats are alive after looking dead during a dreadful 12-game skid months ago.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
After Cal Raleigh walked, struck out and flew out in his first three plate appearances Tuesday, his hitless streak stretched to 38 consecutive at-bats.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Some types of birds show this behavior, too, but additional information can be used to determine if birds or bats are on the radar.
—Marta Hill, Scientific American, 13 May 2026
According to a study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, more bats and birds will steer clear of wind turbines when their blades are painted with colors similar to animals like venomous coral snakes and poison dart frogs.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026
The starter got the Marlins to swing early in at-bats, inducing a lot of weak contact which allowed for all of the fast innings.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
Kelly has flipped eight at-bats that turned into strikeouts and has eliminated three would-be walks.
—Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 12 May 2026
Verb
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
Pontrelli bats leadoff for Lemont.
—Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 5 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
Right fielder Kyle Tucker usually bats behind leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Obviously, there are ambitions for Broadway and the West End, but Tiffany bats such thoughts aside.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The food chain is in full and pitiless effect, and no one bats an eye, or side-eyes a bat, when natural predatory impulses kick in.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bats
Adjective
-
In March 2023, Abdulai was assaulted by an inmate during a psychotic episode.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
19 May 2026
-
Handfield argued that Bland was going through a psychotic episode due to contracting COVID-19 that day.—
Steve Maugeri,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The company’s previous productions – The Undertaker and The Undertaker 2 – were big hits in Thailand, with the rest of the country curious about the customs of the region, so the studio wanted to expand this concept to international audiences with Possessed.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
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Feehan opened the game with two runs in the top of the first off Xaverian started Colin Mont (6 1/3 innings, eight hits, four runs, two walks, seven strikeouts), who did a superb job of keeping the Hawks within reach.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
More to Explore Many of the human props—canes, top hats, desks—used in primate taxidermy became unfashionable in the first half of the nineteenth century, but there were still throwbacks.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
18 May 2026
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Before the treatment, many participants struggled with a slow, mechanical gait, and 12 used assistive devices such as walkers and canes.—
Amber Dance,
ArsTechnica,
17 May 2026
Verb
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He wasn’t invited to the combine this winter and drew knocks from some evaluators for his lack of length and his inconsistency as a pass rusher.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Temperatures will be near 81 degrees on Monday, and then turn cooler on Tuesday through Thursday after a cold front knocks them back into the mid- to upper 60s.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
-
For good measure, Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’zion literally licks the face of the Stones frontman, who in real life is 82 years old.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
In one scene, Misael disappears entirely from the forest as the canine roams around in the background while a calf grazes up front.—
Vadim Rizov,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
There, a mad, out-of-control Mary lives on as tenaciously as George Washington’s inability to tell a lie.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
At this maddest of sporting institutions, that is perhaps the craziest hope of all.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The system, called WhaleSpotter, scans the bay around the clock for whale blows and heat signatures up to 2 nautical miles away, alerting mariners to slow down or reroute when whales are nearby.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
-
While the killing dealt one of the biggest blows to ISIS’s global network in years, disrupting operations in northeastern Nigeria, the terror group's top leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, remains at large as Africa becomes the movement's global epicenter.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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