billy clubs

noun

plural of billy club
as in canes
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment rapping the shoes of the sleeping vagrant with his billy club, the officer told him to move on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 billy clubs Swarms of police officers descended from helicopters and beat them with billy clubs and metal shields. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 After about a minute and half, Mauldin said, police began to attack the demonstrators with billy clubs. — Maya Miller, ProPublica, 15 May 2026 Mayhem erupted when the strikers were attacked with tear gas and billy clubs. — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billy clubs
  1. canes
  2. batons
Noun
  • Light trimming, staking and tying Damaged canes make roses more susceptible to disease.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • For sighted individuals, the exhibits help provide context to the experiences of others, like an area with canes used by the blind on different types of flooring.
    — Caroline Eubanks, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of canes
Noun
  • Authorities are evaluating whether the use of batons and police dogs was excessive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Last week, at least 50 people, including 19 police personnel, were injured after police used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse garment workers demanding unpaid wages and higher pay in Dhaka’s Uttara area.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of batons

Browse Nearby Words

billy club
billy clubs
billycock
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Cite this Entry

“Billy clubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billy%20clubs. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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