plural batons
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
Janet Rausa FullerExamples 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
The assailants arrived w/ batons, knives, and at least 1 assault rifle; many masked.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Some of the attackers were masked, while others allegedly carried batons, knives, and at least one assault rifle.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
The Virginia teen who was seen bashing an opponent's head with a baton during a high school track meet held a rally of supporters on Thursday to reiterate her innocence.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
It’s been 80 years since the mighty pound sterling stepped down from its lofty pedestal of international trading currency at the Bretton Woods Agreement and handed the baton to our dear dollar.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
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Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Some of the attackers were masked, while others allegedly carried batons, knives, and at least one assault rifle.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
The Virginia teen who was seen bashing an opponent's head with a baton during a high school track meet held a rally of supporters on Thursday to reiterate her innocence.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
It’s been 80 years since the mighty pound sterling stepped down from its lofty pedestal of international trading currency at the Bretton Woods Agreement and handed the baton to our dear dollar.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
Cite this Entry
“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baton
noun
ba·ton
bə-ˈtän 
ba-
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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