at bat

noun

plural at bats
baseball
: a turn at batting
had three hits in five at bats

Note: For the purposes of calculating a player's batting average and slugging percentage, an official at bat is charged for each turn at batting except when the player walks, hits a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly, is hit by a pitched ball, or is interfered with by the catcher.

Examples of at bat in a Sentence

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.
In the face of decreasing access to buyers, sales organizations often increase the volume of their sales outreach, hoping that more times at bat will result in more hits. Ian Gross, Harvard Business Review, 13 Feb. 2025 Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers at bat during the World Series against the New York Yankees. David K. Li, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2025 Also at bat is retinoid oleyl adapalenate—a precursor to adapalane, an ingredient known to treat cystic acne—which is gentle on the skin and frequently used to treat clogged pores. Sarah Han, Allure, 29 Jan. 2025 The Venezuelan infielder hit .300 last season in 283 at bats with six home runs and 30 RBI. Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for at bat 

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of at bat was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near at bat

Cite this Entry

“At bat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20bat. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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