as in psychotic
unable to think in a clear or sensible way
by film's end it's obvious that faded movie star Norma Desmond is completely bats
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in hits
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
2
as in canes
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 knocks
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 licks
to strike repeatedly
batted the piñata until it finally broke open
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in roams
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.
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Recent Examples of bats
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
After striking out and then grounding out in his first two at-bats against the Dodgers' star, the second baseman stepped to the dish in the bottom of the fifth inning with base runners on the corners.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Larnach hadn’t seen Cade Cavalli’s knuckle curve in his first two at-bats Tuesday before the Washington starter got ahead 0-2 in the count with two straight.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 May 2026
But the boys in blue continued their run of productive at-bats and flashed some power from unexpected places in a 5-3 win over the Guardians.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Ryan McMahon hit a tying two-run homer off deGrom in the second inning after the Yankees trailed 3-0 before their first at-bats.
—CBS News, 6 May 2026
Back at Big Thunder, there will be other fresh surprises, including 2,000 bats added in the approach to the ride’s rainbow caverns.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
After Marcus’s ground ball, everybody took great at-bats.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Sometimes the Flock license-plate reader cameras were sprayed with pink spray paint; other times they were struck with bats, hit with BB guns, or simply unscrewed.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Peralta then was replaced by left-hander Brooks Raley, and Kelly was sent up to hit for Moisés Ballesteros, a rookie who bats from the left side.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Right fielder Kyle Tucker usually bats behind leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Obviously, there are ambitions for Broadway and the West End, but Tiffany bats such thoughts aside.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The food chain is in full and pitiless effect, and no one bats an eye, or side-eyes a bat, when natural predatory impulses kick in.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Taylor bats leadoff for the presumptive Best Picture favorite.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
If Roberts bats Tucker second and Smith fifth, Freeman would likely take over as the cleanup hitter.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Malice bats third to effortlessly deliver some of his best lyrical work from Let God Sort Em Out.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
Noun
Valdez had given up 10 runs, including back-to-back solo home runs in the previous two at-bats, when Story batted in the top of the fourth inning on Tuesday at Comerica Park.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
After striking out and then grounding out in his first two at-bats against the Dodgers' star, the second baseman stepped to the dish in the bottom of the fifth inning with base runners on the corners.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Larnach hadn’t seen Cade Cavalli’s knuckle curve in his first two at-bats Tuesday before the Washington starter got ahead 0-2 in the count with two straight.
—Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 May 2026
But the boys in blue continued their run of productive at-bats and flashed some power from unexpected places in a 5-3 win over the Guardians.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Ryan McMahon hit a tying two-run homer off deGrom in the second inning after the Yankees trailed 3-0 before their first at-bats.
—CBS News, 6 May 2026
Back at Big Thunder, there will be other fresh surprises, including 2,000 bats added in the approach to the ride’s rainbow caverns.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
After Marcus’s ground ball, everybody took great at-bats.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
Sometimes the Flock license-plate reader cameras were sprayed with pink spray paint; other times they were struck with bats, hit with BB guns, or simply unscrewed.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
The 6-foot, 200-pound Ankney, a first baseman and relief pitcher who bats third, was Lakes’ quarterback for three seasons.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Peralta then was replaced by left-hander Brooks Raley, and Kelly was sent up to hit for Moisés Ballesteros, a rookie who bats from the left side.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Right fielder Kyle Tucker usually bats behind leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Obviously, there are ambitions for Broadway and the West End, but Tiffany bats such thoughts aside.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The food chain is in full and pitiless effect, and no one bats an eye, or side-eyes a bat, when natural predatory impulses kick in.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Taylor bats leadoff for the presumptive Best Picture favorite.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
If Roberts bats Tucker second and Smith fifth, Freeman would likely take over as the cleanup hitter.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Malice bats third to effortlessly deliver some of his best lyrical work from Let God Sort Em Out.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bats
Adjective
-
Netflix’s bracingly nasty action-thriller Apex is a fine addition, plonking the star down in a rugged Australian landscape and throwing nature’s formidable might at her while stirring a psychotic serial killer into the mix.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The risk of a psychotic disorder rose fourfold when highly potent weed was used daily, the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Soriano allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and three walks in five innings.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Nats then went to the bullpen, ending his night at eight runs (four earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Botrytis can also cause large, discolored patches on canes.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
To rejuvenate these shrubs, cut three of the thickest canes all the way back to the ground in spring.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Temperatures will be near 81 degrees on Monday, and then turn cooler on Tuesday through Thursday after a cold front knocks them back into the mid- to upper 60s.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
-
The sweetness of the cherry tomatoes knocks the flavor profile out of the park.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fernandes then roams towards that wing to support his team-mates and be in a position to attack the space behind Fulham left-back Ryan Sessegnon.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The five-person cast roams the room, sitting at various circular tables to blur the lines between script and improvisation.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fray was also mad at himself for cramping, which forced him to be substituted out of Saturday’s loss in the 66th minute.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
-
Their ferocious poetry resurrects them, inviting other mad seekers to take up their story.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The visit also comes as both sides have been trading blows ahead of the summit.—
Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
-
His saga has been built with blows of faith, discipline and a conviction rarely seen, even at the elite level.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bats. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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