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
Hazlitt, 7 Jan. 2026
Outside of a hitter with Bregman’s resume, the Cubs can’t offer that many regular at-bats or a clear path to consistent playing time.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Even its resident colony of bats, safeguarding the books from insect damage, adds to its mythic aura.
—Navya Verma, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
Thomas has provided professional at-bats throughout his career.
—Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026
Games feature choreographed dance numbers, playful rule changes, elaborate walk-up routines and constant audience interaction—often drawing comparisons to the Harlem Globetrotters, but with baseball bats instead of basketballs.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Even the Pirates have added bats (Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn) and bullpen arms (Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery).
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Boxes are stuffed with soccer balls, wiffle ball bats, basketballs and footballs.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Even with a down season in 2025, Sanchez's power is still evident with the seven extra-base hits in the 101 at-bats.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Lisa Hughes, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Malice bats third to effortlessly deliver some of his best lyrical work from Let God Sort Em Out.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
Mookie Betts, who bats directly behind Ohtani, is just 3-for-23 in this Fall Classic.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 31 Oct. 2025
However, this one bats a pretty impressive average, and the triptych structure keeps things moving at a nice clip.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer emphasized that the Pirates' toughest free agency decision will be figuring out which bats the team can acquire to back Skenes.
—Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
And yet when an athlete expresses that same sentiment, nobody bats an eyelash.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
The headlights of the long-haul trucks illuminated Joshua trees and darting bats.
—Hazlitt, 7 Jan. 2026
Outside of a hitter with Bregman’s resume, the Cubs can’t offer that many regular at-bats or a clear path to consistent playing time.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Even its resident colony of bats, safeguarding the books from insect damage, adds to its mythic aura.
—Navya Verma, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
Thomas has provided professional at-bats throughout his career.
—Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026
Games feature choreographed dance numbers, playful rule changes, elaborate walk-up routines and constant audience interaction—often drawing comparisons to the Harlem Globetrotters, but with baseball bats instead of basketballs.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Even the Pirates have added bats (Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn) and bullpen arms (Gregory Soto, Mason Montgomery).
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Boxes are stuffed with soccer balls, wiffle ball bats, basketballs and footballs.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
Even with a down season in 2025, Sanchez's power is still evident with the seven extra-base hits in the 101 at-bats.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
No one, in this room of 150-plus diners, bats an eye.
—Lisa Hughes, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Malice bats third to effortlessly deliver some of his best lyrical work from Let God Sort Em Out.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
Mookie Betts, who bats directly behind Ohtani, is just 3-for-23 in this Fall Classic.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 31 Oct. 2025
However, this one bats a pretty impressive average, and the triptych structure keeps things moving at a nice clip.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer emphasized that the Pirates' toughest free agency decision will be figuring out which bats the team can acquire to back Skenes.
—Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Oct. 2025
And yet when an athlete expresses that same sentiment, nobody bats an eyelash.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bats
Adjective
-
However, mental health experts now warn that for a small group of vulnerable people, long and emotionally charged conversations with AI may worsen delusions or psychotic symptoms.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
People with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder may be quiet and withdrawn for a long time, then unexpectedly slip into a psychotic episode.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Like a puck zipping into a net at warp speed as the home crowd roars, Heated Rivalry has quickly and fiercely become one of the biggest surprise hits in recent memory.—
Jessica Derschowitz,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
-
As a result, the film sees Jackman and Hudson perform a collection of Diamond's beloved hits, which jogged Moore’s memory.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To rejuvenate an older plant, cut 50 to 75% of the oldest, thickest canes back to the ground to allow for new shoots to develop.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Wait until mid-to-late November to remove dead or diseased canes and reduce the overall size of the rose plant.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
However, when a wealthy telecommunications CEO knocks on their door and reveals his plans to regain the public’s trust in supers, the Parrs are all in.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Latin social dance is a place where people leave their worries at the door, but in Chicago, fear over immigration crackdowns knocks anyway.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Everybody licks the big pink flesh wall.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
13 Nov. 2025
-
Posted to the account @maisythemarshmallow on September 19, the video shows the dog, named Maisy, lying calmly as the cat snuggles up and licks her face.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Scoop City’s own Dianna Russini roams the sideline.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
25 Dec. 2025
-
As flares light up the sky, the Deliriant, now a blond hooligan, roams the streets of a port city with Tai Zhaomei (Li Gengxi), a singer and gangster’s moll.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
And everyone is mad at Andrew—though this one feels like a rumor and more reality.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Jan. 2026
-
He’s been thrown straight into a mad month, in which Chelsea have Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Champions League fixtures.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Coming out the second half the teams continued to trade blows, after the Rockets took a 32-30 lead Xaverian responded with a 15-5 run to end the quarter to take a 45-37 lead.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
-
The Anteaters withstood an early jolt from Cal State Fullerton in their Big West Conference matchup, but came back with several blows of their own in an 86-64 win at Titan Gym.—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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