nightsticks

noun

plural of nightstick
as in batons
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment police officers fitted out with nightsticks and handcuffs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 nightsticks No shots were fired, but many were struck with nightsticks and rifle butts, and about 250 were arrested. — Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025 No shots were fired, but many were struck with nightsticks and rifle butts, and about 250 were arrested. — Mark Jones, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nightsticks
  1. batons
  2. canes
Noun
  • Videos showed police beating back agitators with batons and deploying anti-riot ordnance as the demonstrators chanted against the country's conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a massive political rally.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of batons
Noun
  • Start by directing growth straight up the vertical supports until canes reach the top, then use horizontal training to guide stems laterally across the beams.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
  • Snappers, snakes, toy pistols with caps and toy canes with caps are the only fireworks allowed.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
Definition of canes

Browse Nearby Words

nightstick
nightsticks
nighttime
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nightsticks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nightsticks. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on nightsticks

Nglish: Translation of nightsticks for Spanish Speakers

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 dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All