plural batons
Synonyms of batonnext
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

Examples 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
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.
The Unbadged invited people to submit videos of personnel who used batons and tear gas against protestors without wearing a name badge, which police are legally required to wear. Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Police found a collapsible baton inside the bag, but have not recovered any political leaflets that would suggest an act of protest. Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 The young fan confronted the officers, who hit him with batons before detaining him. ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 But the band fury is as climactic as anything that could be done continuing to have the full ensemble play… and Dudamel looked happy enough to put his baton down, turn around and just watch the group play for a few minutes. Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for baton

Word History

Etymology

French bâton, from Old French baston, ultimately from Late Latin bastum stick

First Known Use

1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of baton was in 1520

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

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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