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
Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026
Major League Baseball breaks out pink bats every Mother’s Day for breast cancer awareness.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Rivero, who also singled in the third and has seven hits in his last seven at-bats, was removed in the fifth because of a left wrist injury.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers hit back-to-back home runs to start the bottom of the inning before the Giants’ two hottest bats, Jung Hoo Lee and Eldridge, both walked to continue the improbable comeback.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Antonya reached in all four of his at-bats, had two singles and two walks, and stole four bases.
—Zachary McMahon, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
That’ll help offensively, considering his current replacements have four hits and 15 strikeouts in 43 at-bats.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 10 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
In 2024, the last year data is available, 358 bats were tested for rabies in Connecticut.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026
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
Noun
Rabies is most common in wild animals including skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes.
—Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026
Major League Baseball breaks out pink bats every Mother’s Day for breast cancer awareness.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Rivero, who also singled in the third and has seven hits in his last seven at-bats, was removed in the fifth because of a left wrist injury.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers hit back-to-back home runs to start the bottom of the inning before the Giants’ two hottest bats, Jung Hoo Lee and Eldridge, both walked to continue the improbable comeback.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Antonya reached in all four of his at-bats, had two singles and two walks, and stole four bases.
—Zachary McMahon, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
That’ll help offensively, considering his current replacements have four hits and 15 strikeouts in 43 at-bats.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 10 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
In 2024, the last year data is available, 358 bats were tested for rabies in Connecticut.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 June 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
-
In that setting, every user will be screened for cardiac issues and a family history of psychosis, and guided through their trip by two professional facilitators who have a doctor on call—and even then, some users experience a psychotic break or profound dissociative episodes.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
-
The records indicate that Carradine had a history of anxiety, bipolar disorder, severe depression with psychotic features and prior suicide attempts.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Salerno threw all 10 innings for Central Catholic, allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out 12.—
Kristina Banahan,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
Rivero, who also singled in the third and has seven hits in his last seven at-bats, was removed in the fifth because of a left wrist injury.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 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
-
Food stands also debuted that year, with ribs sizzling along with the blues licks.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
At one point in a dinner scene, Shields' Erika licks Joey's fingers.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
The next morning, my feet began to itch like mad.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
None of that would've been possible without the vision that Clay Travis laid out to me early in 2020 as the world was about to go mad.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The biggest blows came from Garcia and Starling Marte.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
-
Suddenly, Brooks began raining down blows on Sumner with a gutta-percha cane while an accomplice warded off lawmakers who tried to intervene.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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