Bat — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb abbreviation /ˈbat/

Meaning & Definition of Bat

Bat (noun)

  1. a stout solid stick, club
  2. a sharp blow, stroke
  3. a usually wooden implement used for hitting the ball in various games
  4. 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

Bat (verb)

  1. to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
  2. to advance (a base runner) by batting
  3. to have a batting average of
  4. to wink especially in surprise or emotion; also, flutter

Bat (abbreviation)

  1. bachelor of arts in teaching

Bat (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: 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
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

  2. a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment

    "riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas"

    similar: bastinado, baton, billy, billy club, bludgeon, cane, club, cudgel, nightstick, rod, rung (Scottish), sap, shillelagh, staff, truncheon, waddy (Australian)
    related: blackjack, knobkerrie, mace, birch, crabstick, hickory, rattan, stave, switch, beetle, gavel, hammer, mallet, maul, sledgehammer, crook, crosier, walking stick, whangee

Bat (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner

    "batted the lamp off the table with one strike"

    similar: bang, bash, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, crack, hammer, hit, knock, nail, paste, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, strike, swat, swipe, tag, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, zap, hang one on
    related: batter, beat, buffet, bung, chop, cuff, drub, lace, lambaste, lick, mangle, maul, pelt, pepper, pommel, pummel, rough, scuff, bunt, flick, stroke, tap, bump, butt, jab, jostle, kick, knee, poke, prod, push, shove, stamp, bowl (down or over), cream, deck, dump (slang), fell, floor, knock down, level, rabbit-punch, sucker punch, cane, club, cudgel, flail, flog, lash, sap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, spear, stab, switch, thrash, whip, bean, brain, conk, skull

  2. to strike repeatedly

    "batted the piñata until it finally broke open"

    similar: bash, baste, batter, beat, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib (British), flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slate, slog, switch, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop, whup, work over, beat up on
    related: assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp, blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap, gore, lacerate, wound, maim, mangle, mutilate

  3. to move about from place to place aimlessly

    "on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside"

    similar: cruise, drift, float, gad (about), gallivant, kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipse, wander
    related: amble, saunter, stroll, dawdle, mope, hobo, tramp, vagabond, mill (about or around), straggle, stray

Related Entry: Bat (around or back and forth) (verb)

Bat (around or back and forth) is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for bat (around or back and forth), not for bat.

  1. to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion

    "the issue's been batted around, but nothing's ever been done"

    similar: agitate, argue, bandy, canvass, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over or out), moot, talk over
    related: review, speak (about), talk (about), broach, introduce, propound, raise, stir up, forge, hammer out, talk out, thrash (out), wrestle (with), chew over, consider, deliberate, weigh

Related Entry: Bat (around) (verb)

Bat (around) is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for bat (around), not for bat.

  1. as in kick around, argue

    similar: argue, bandy, chew over, debate, deliberate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), kick around, moot, palaver, talk, talk over, ventilate, advise, confab, confabulate, confer, consult, counsel, parley, treat, rehash, coach, guide, tutor, recommend, suggest, direct, refer (to)

Related Entry: Go to bat for (phrase)

Go to bat for is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for go to bat for, not for bat.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "an advocate who goes to bat for the poor and marginalized"

    similar: advocate, back, champion, endorse, patronize, plump (for), plunk (for), support, go in for, hold a brief for, stand up for, stick up for
    related: adopt, embrace, espouse, abet, aid, assist, help, prop (up), second, side (with), backstop, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advance, forward, further, plug, preach, talk up, bail out, deliver, rescue, save
    near: baffle, foil, frustrate, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down

Related Entry: Off the bat (phrase)

Off the bat is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for off the bat, not for bat.

  1. without delay

    "She got a job right off the bat after graduation."

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, presently, promptly, pronto, right, right away, right now, right off, straightaway, straight off, straightway, at once, in no time, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full-tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

Related Entry: Gone to bat for (phrase)

Gone to bat for is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for gone to bat for, not for bat.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "an advocate who goes to bat for the poor and marginalized"

    similar: advocated, backed, championed, endorsed, patronized, plumped (for), plunked (for), supported, gone in for, held a brief for, stood up for, stuck up for
    related: adopted, embraced, espoused, abetted, aided, assisted, helped, propped (up), seconded, sided (with), backstopped, bolstered, boosted, buttressed, reinforced, advanced, forwarded, furthered, plugged, preached, talked up, bailed out, delivered, rescued, saved
    near: baffled, foiled, frustrated, interfered, opposed, sabotaged, thwarted, deserted, disappointed, failed, let down

Related Entry: Went to bat for (phrase)

Went to bat for is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for went to bat for, not for bat.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "an advocate who goes to bat for the poor and marginalized"

    similar: advocated, backed, championed, endorsed, patronized, plumped (for), plunked (for), supported, held a brief for, stood up for, stuck up for, went in for
    related: adopted, embraced, espoused, abetted, aided, assisted, helped, propped (up), seconded, sided (with), backstopped, bolstered, boosted, buttressed, reinforced, advanced, forwarded, furthered, plugged, preached, talked up, bailed out, delivered, rescued, saved
    near: baffled, foiled, frustrated, interfered, opposed, sabotaged, thwarted, deserted, disappointed, failed, let down

Related Entry: Goes to bat for (phrase)

Goes to bat for is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for goes to bat for, not for bat.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "an advocate who goes to bat for the poor and marginalized"

    similar: advocates, backs, champions, endorses, patronizes, plumps (for), plunks (for), supports, goes in for, holds a brief for, stands up for, sticks up for
    related: adopts, embraces, espouses, abets, aids, assists, helps, props (up), seconds, sides (with), backstops, bolsters, boosts, buttresses, reinforces, advances, forwards, furthers, plugs, preaches, talks up, bails out, delivers, rescues, saves
    near: baffles, foils, frustrates, interferes, opposes, sabotages, thwarts, deserts, disappoints, fails, lets down

Related Entry: Going to bat for (phrase)

Going to bat for is a different word from Bat. The synonyms below are for going to bat for, not for bat.

  1. to promote the interests or cause of

    "an advocate who goes to bat for the poor and marginalized"

    similar: advocating, backing, championing, endorsing, patronizing, plumping (for), plunking (for), supporting, going in for, holding a brief for, standing up for, sticking up for
    related: adopting, embracing, espousing, abetting, aiding, assisting, helping, propping (up), seconding, siding (with), backstopping, bolstering, boosting, buttressing, reinforcing, advancing, forwarding, furthering, plugging, preaching, talking up, bailing out, delivering, rescuing, saving
    near: baffling, foiling, frustrating, interfering, opposing, sabotaging, thwarting, deserting, disappointing, failing, letting down

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bat

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bat:

British: douse, fib
Dialect: larrup
Scottish: rung
Australian: waddy
bang, bash, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger

Related Words for Bat

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing

Word Forms of Bat

Inflections: batted, batting, bats

Origin & Etymology of Bat

Middle English, from Old English batt

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bat

Words & Phrases Containing Bat

batt, bat-eared fox, bat girl, bat mitzvah

Frequently Asked Questions about Bat

What does "Bat" mean?

"Bat" means a stout solid stick, club. As an a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, it is defined as: a stout solid stick, club. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bat"?

Other words for "Bat" include bang, bash, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop and box. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bat" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bat"?

There are 258 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bat". Common alternatives include bang, bash, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet and bust.

How do you use "Bat" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bat" in a sentence: "a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner"; "riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas"; "batted the lamp off the table with one strike".

Is "Bat" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Bat" can be used as a noun, a verb and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Bat" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Bat" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Bat"?

"Bat" is pronounced /ˈbat/.

What is the origin of the word "Bat"?

"Bat" comes from Middle English, from Old English batt. First known use: before 12th century.