batted; batting
1
: to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2
a
: to advance (a base runner) by batting
b
: to have a batting average of
3
: to discuss at length : consider in detail
1
a
: to strike or hit a ball with a bat
b
: to take one's turn at bat
2
: to wander aimlessly
plural bats
: any of a widely distributed order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal usually frugivorous or insectivorous flying mammals that have wings formed from four elongated digits of the forelimb covered by a cutaneous membrane and that have adequate visual capabilities but often rely on echolocation
see also bats in the belfry
batted; batting
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
bachelor of arts in teaching
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Verb (1)
Examples of bat in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner
riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas
Verb (1)
batted the lamp off the table with one strike
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside
Recent Examples on the Web
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
The sides have recently engaged in negotiations over a potential new deal for the two-time All-Star, who also drove in 99 runs last season while batting .272 with a .840 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Marijuana grown with bat guano often has reportedly more complex aromas and flavors than those grown with synthetic fertilizers.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bat 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Toronto just watched Juan Soto spend his walk year in the Bronx before leaving New York without batting an eye for the highest bidder, which was $765 million.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
The sides have recently engaged in negotiations over a potential new deal for the two-time All-Star, who also drove in 99 runs last season while batting .272 with a .840 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
Walker is also still quite a good bat who provides a .800 OPS upside with big-time power.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Marijuana grown with bat guano often has reportedly more complex aromas and flavors than those grown with synthetic fertilizers.
—Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bat
Dictionary Entries Near bat
Cite this Entry
“Bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bat. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bat
2 of 4 verb
batted; batting
1
: to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2
: to take one's turn at bat in baseball
3
: to have a batting average of
is batting .300
bat
3 of 4 noun
: any of an order of night-flying mammals with the forelimbs modified to form wings
bat
4 of 4 verb
batted; batting
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
Etymology
Noun
Old English batt "club"
Noun
from Middle English bakke "flying bat"; probably of Scandinavian origin
Verb
probably an altered form of earlier bate "to beat the wings in an impatient manner"
Medical Definition
bat
noun
: any of an order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal placental flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings
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