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
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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
Larry Fleisher, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Stop by the visitor center to check out volleyballs, basketballs, Frisbees, cornhole sets, baseballs and bats, or ladder ball games.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York's upcoming road trip.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Jackson Merrill, who had lined out and struck out in his previous at-bats, then watched a sinker in the heart of the strike zone before getting another belt-high sinker on the inner edge of the plate and grounding it through the hole at shortstop.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Then, with four outs remaining, the Shamrocks’ bats finally woke up.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
In 2022, out of 369 bats tested, just eight were found to be positive.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
José Ramírez doubled in three straight at-bats and drove in the go-ahead run against Cam Schlittler in the fifth inning before the Cleveland Guardians pulled away for a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 3 June 2026
But the Royals failed to keep up with their opponent’s bats again, and could barely generate any offense against perennial All-Star Gerrit Cole, who made his second start of the season.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
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
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
Noun
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York’s upcoming trip.
—Larry Fleisher, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Stop by the visitor center to check out volleyballs, basketballs, Frisbees, cornhole sets, baseballs and bats, or ladder ball games.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 June 2026
Stanton has been out since April 24 with a strained right calf and started taking live at-bats on the field Wednesday, though he was ruled out for New York's upcoming road trip.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Jackson Merrill, who had lined out and struck out in his previous at-bats, then watched a sinker in the heart of the strike zone before getting another belt-high sinker on the inner edge of the plate and grounding it through the hole at shortstop.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Then, with four outs remaining, the Shamrocks’ bats finally woke up.
—Jack Murray, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
In 2022, out of 369 bats tested, just eight were found to be positive.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
José Ramírez doubled in three straight at-bats and drove in the go-ahead run against Cam Schlittler in the fifth inning before the Cleveland Guardians pulled away for a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
—Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 3 June 2026
But the Royals failed to keep up with their opponent’s bats again, and could barely generate any offense against perennial All-Star Gerrit Cole, who made his second start of the season.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
Verb
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bats
Adjective
-
There’s something extremely psychotic about him.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
Mary, our thirtysomething narrator, has recently boomeranged back to her hometown (York) after experiencing a break with reality that may or may not be psychotic.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
After first charting in 1975, Bryson had a pair of smash pop hits with theme songs from back-to-back Disney toons.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
Chase Herrell followed with 3⅔ scoreless innings while scattering three hits and striking out two.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The edible fruit can be used to make jelly, but watch for thorns on the shrub’s canes.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
27 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Enough sunshine on Sunday should push temperatures back into the low 90s before a cooler breeze knocks us back to normal on Monday.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
And that's when a shot blasts through the door and knocks Lena to the ground.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
A lot of freedom going on between the guitars, a lotta little licks intermingle with the big guitar licks that the song is all about.—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
22 May 2026
-
At one point A’zion licks the digitally de-aged Mick Jagger’s face.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
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
-
Captain Ahab went mad in his vengeful search for Moby Dick.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
-
Standing at 6 feet 8 inches in heels, Evans towers above cast members including Stephanie Hsu, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Guillén and more, as the mad scientist and head of a paranormal household that has welcomed in two hapless strangers during a rainstorm.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
From there, the two schools traded blows until intermission.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026
-
According to the coroner, there was evidence of nine blows to the victim’s head and neck.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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