as in batons
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
in those days corporal punishment was common, and the cane was regarded as another one of the schoolmaster's educational tools
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Recent Examples of 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
Before the treatment, many participants struggled with a slow, mechanical gait, and 12 used assistive devices such as walkers and canes.
—Amber Dance, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2026
Botrytis can also cause large, discolored patches on canes.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
Video footage of disabled military veterans—some in wheelchairs, others leaning on canes—being zip-tied and dragged out of the Capitol Rotunda for staging a peaceful, anti-war protest.
—John Whitehead, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Cut away any canes that cross or crowd another, focusing on the older, thicker canes first.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 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
Before the treatment, many participants struggled with a slow, mechanical gait, and 12 used assistive devices such as walkers and canes.
—Amber Dance, ArsTechnica, 17 May 2026
Botrytis can also cause large, discolored patches on canes.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
Video footage of disabled military veterans—some in wheelchairs, others leaning on canes—being zip-tied and dragged out of the Capitol Rotunda for staging a peaceful, anti-war protest.
—John Whitehead, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Cut away any canes that cross or crowd another, focusing on the older, thicker canes first.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canes
Noun
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In all, 1,900 volunteer marshals, most from the East End and equipped with yellow batons, seem to be cherishing their assignments.—
Jennifer McLogan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Protesters hurled objects at security forces, prompting riot police to deploy batons and shields.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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To mark the occasion, Crumbl is also releasing limited-edition Martha Stewart boxes for its six-pack orders — perfect for gifting or adding a touch of elegance to any gathering.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
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Your major is a meaningful part of your journey, not a label that boxes you in.—
Maja Zelihic,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Ramírez socks a basic single to center, but Crow-Armstrong didn’t field it cleanly and Ramírez hustled to second, the sort of instincts that have paved his path to such an illustrious career.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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That bit is a high point in a cunning time-capsule-worthy satire that socks it to corporate America and our fan worshipping selves.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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An expensive dollar also scourges industries that compete with imports.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Fed up with Nicky’s dramatics, Lester uses his elevator crank and whacks the former hard in the back of his neck.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Food and drink The restaurant is intimate, with seating for 40, but the food punches way above its weight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
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Many of these nations have spent years building a footballing infrastructure that punches well above their demographic weight.—
Rebekah Evans,
TheWeek,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The sequencer pastes together the strings and the quality scores, along with some other metadata, read by read, to form what is called a FASTQ file.—
Dmitri Pavlichin,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Aug. 2018
Verb
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Consider two investors, one who invests $7,500 at the beginning of the year, and another who chops it up into $288 biweekly investments.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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The proposal chops $150 million from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which battled against the largest budget cut in last year's negotiations.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canes. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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