1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

batten

verb

Definition of battennext
1
as in to button

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to fatten

Related Words

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 batten An official with Smit Salvage, which is part of the salvage team led by TMC Marine, told CNN that the hatches appear open, meaning the crew may not have battened them down as the storm approached. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 20 May 2025 Sheila stares downward, as though battening her emotional hatches. — Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein, New York Times, 13 June 2023 In summary, short-term volatility will persist while consumers batten down the hatches, but as always the future of retail is bright for those who are willing to evolve. — Natalie Berg, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 All the Valkyries could do was batten down the hatches and try to ride out Assumption's storm. — J.l. Kirven, The Courier-Journal, 25 Oct. 2022 See All Example Sentences for batten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for batten
  1. button
  2. fatten
  3. affix
  4. fill
  5. fasten
  6. mess
  7. pin
  8. screw
Verb
  • Guerin’s hope is to sit down with Hughes and button up an extension in the coming days.
    — Michael Russo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Click the Add sources button from the left pane and pick Play Books from the subsequent window.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of button
Verb
  • Don’t stress about your pile of fall reading; fatten it up, baby, and pick up one of this month’s new releases.
    — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But Commure isn’t just promising to fatten doctors’ wallets with money from insurers.
    — Casey Ross, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of fatten
Verb
  • Four actors, affixed with in-ear monitors, occupy different seats as testimony is elicited, provided and undermined.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Bow accents in white are affixed to each slingback strap on the sides, imparting a feminine touch.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of affix
Verb
  • Patients in Medicaid, the state- and federally-funded program for people with low incomes, already pay a nominal co-payment of a few dollars to fill their prescriptions, but lower prices could help state budgets that fund the programs.
    — Fatima Hussein, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Drivers should fill up beforehand, download maps, and check weather and road conditions before leaving.
    — Joe Ruch, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of fill
Verb
  • Ten giant, vintage-looking buttons, each representing a nonprofit in attendance, were seemingly fastened to the top of the stage.
    — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The firemen on The Pile looking for their brothers used rubber bands to fasten those cards to their helmets, the way a soldier might store a pack of cigarettes.
    — Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fasten
Verb
  • Here’s how to bring flowers from your cutting garden indoors while keeping insects and mess out.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The only way to mess this up is to not allow yourself the opportunity to touch it again and again and again.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Definition of mess
Verb
  • Other than the fact that two people getting ax-murdered didn’t rouse her from her nap, there wasn’t anything suspicious about Bridget; not that there weren’t plenty of people ready to pin the crimes on her.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Tennessee will likely be playing from behind, but against an elite defense that can pin its ears back and attack Cam Ward, that may not translate into production for Tate.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of pin
Verb
  • Julian is played with winning charm by Daniel Ings in a role that stretches him from his usual parts, like the buffoonish screw-up brother in the series The Gentlemen.
    — Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2026
  • The New World screwworm lays eggs on warm-blooded animals – which can include humans – and its larvae screw themselves into the living flesh,leading to infections and sometimes death.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of screw

Browse Nearby Words

batted (around or back and forth)
batten
batten (down)
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Batten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batten. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All