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
Here’s Why The GOP Is Divided Taking the baton from her father, who at 95, still comes in just about everyday, Annie and the next generation of Zabar’s are keeping the beloved mecca moving into the 21st century.
—Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Just before the latter event, an assailant struck Kerrigan’s knee with a police baton after a practice session at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 30 Jan. 2025
Watching Paul orchestrate, almost like a symphony conductor with a baton, shows exactly why he is called the point god.
—Mike Monroe, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Eventually, Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant took the baton with the Lakers and passed it off to LeBron James.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
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Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Just before the latter event, an assailant struck Kerrigan’s knee with a police baton after a practice session at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 30 Jan. 2025
Watching Paul orchestrate, almost like a symphony conductor with a baton, shows exactly why he is called the point god.
—Mike Monroe, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Eventually, Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant took the baton with the Lakers and passed it off to LeBron James.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 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 9 Mar. 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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