plural batons
1
: cudgel, truncheon
specifically
: billy club
2
: a staff borne as a symbol of office
3
: a narrow heraldic bend
4
: a slender rod with which a leader directs a band or orchestra
5
: a hollow cylinder carried by each member of a relay team and passed to the succeeding runner
6
: a hollow metal rod with a weighted bulb at one or both ends that is flourished by a drum major or drum majorette
7
: a piece of food that has been cut into a narrow strip that is thicker than a julienned piece of food
We cut carrots into slabs, then batons, then dice.—
Janet Rausa Fuller
Janet Rausa FullerExamples of baton in a Sentence
The majorette twirled the baton.
the detainee claimed that the police had beat him with their batons even after he had been shackled
Recent Examples on the Web
YoungBoy takes the baton and aims at his detractors.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 21 May 2025
Nichols fled after being pulled from his car and was later subdued and struck repeatedly with fists, boots, a Taser and a baton.
—Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
The previous burst of new production, which was primarily aimed at goosing subscriber numbers for Disney+, was overseen by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who took the baton from Iger in February 2020.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Using history as our teacher, technological innovations, such as the internet, smartphones and cloud computing, have resulted in transformative eras and the passing of the baton from a Kodak to an Apple, from a Sears to an Amazon and from a Blockbuster to a Netflix.
—Michael Hicks, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
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Michael Saponara, Billboard, 21 May 2025
Nichols fled after being pulled from his car and was later subdued and struck repeatedly with fists, boots, a Taser and a baton.
—Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
The previous burst of new production, which was primarily aimed at goosing subscriber numbers for Disney+, was overseen by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who took the baton from Iger in February 2020.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 May 2025
Using history as our teacher, technological innovations, such as the internet, smartphones and cloud computing, have resulted in transformative eras and the passing of the baton from a Kodak to an Apple, from a Sears to an Amazon and from a Blockbuster to a Netflix.
—Michael Hicks, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
Cite this Entry
“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baton
noun
ba·ton
bə-ˈtän 
ba-
1
: a staff borne as a symbol of office
2
: a stick with which a leader directs a band or orchestra
3
: a hollow rod passed from one member of a relay team to another
4
: a staff with a ball at one or both ends carried by a drum major or baton twirler
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