1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to knock
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
batted the lamp off the table with one strike
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to roam
to move about from place to place aimlessly
on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside
Synonyms & Similar 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 bat
Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Locals who encounter a bat inside their homes or have a pet that is exposed to a bat are encouraged to contact their doctor and the public health department at (502) 574-6650.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 10 July 2025
Seager, a former Dodger, is batting .447 (21 for 47) with five homers, two doubles, nine RBIs, 10 walks and no strikeouts in his last 13 games against the Angels dating to Sept. 26, 2023.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bat
Noun
The offense figures to only get better with Bregman’s bat back in the mix as the Red Sox buckle down to battle for a postseason spot in the second half.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Locals who encounter a bat inside their homes or have a pet that is exposed to a bat are encouraged to contact their doctor and the public health department at (502) 574-6650.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
Verb
On the positive side of the ledger, he’s come up with lots of big hits for the Twins, batting .325 with runners in scoring position and .414 in high-leverage spots.
—Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 10 July 2025
Seager, a former Dodger, is batting .447 (21 for 47) with five homers, two doubles, nine RBIs, 10 walks and no strikeouts in his last 13 games against the Angels dating to Sept. 26, 2023.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bat
Noun
-
Pang’s departure is a blow to Apple’s AI ambitions and comes amid internal scrutiny of its AI strategy, which has so far failed to match the capabilities fielded by rival tech companies, leaving Apple dependent on third-party AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 July 2025
-
The news was not only a blow to Lilly but also a surprise to millions using Zepbound on Caremark plans, who are now questioning how to move forward.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Other dolls in the Fashionistas line include a blind Barbie who carries a cane, a Barbie with Down syndrome, and a Barbie who uses a wheelchair.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
8 July 2025
-
During their investigation, officers learned the woman’s 44-year-old son, Joseph Cavallaro, attacked his mother and beat her with a cane, prosecutors said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
Less than a month later, Monson knocked nearly 10 seconds off the American record at 10,000 meters, running 30:03.82 at The Ten, a Sound Running distance carnival in San Juan Capistrano.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
-
On Saturday, the New York Yankees slugger knocked a ball over the outfield wall to reach the milestone.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
The Boston Celtics are still licking their wounds following the heartbreaking end to the 2024-25 NBA season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
-
And Lil Wayne agrees by licking my face, which is part of the job description for companion dogs.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Such broad, open spaces were essential to the origins of the giant sloths, and so creating wide-open spaces helps spur the evolution of giants to roam such environments.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
-
Norway is home to an embarrassment of perspective-altering landscapes—craggy mountains, beautiful fjords, and dramatic coastlines—making roaming outdoors all the more rewarding.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Above her, the sweeping halo scoreboard glowed, flashing beneath the thump of blasting pop anthems.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
-
On the footage, the sound is a muffled thump, and neither Rush nor Foss seemed alarmed.—
Jenny Porter Tilley,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Juice takes the baton and continues his journey to hopefully discovering inner-peace.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
11 July 2025
-
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
While hitting 350 homers is a feat in itself, Judge reached the mark more quickly than former slugger Mark McGwire.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
-
The Padres took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a one-out single, moved to third on a single by Luis Arraez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Machado.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bat. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share