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 FullerSynonyms
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
Life-sized sculptures of a woman and children in a cotton field are paired with a sculpture of a chromed arm holding a police baton.
—Victor Blackwell, CNN, 19 June 2024
The visual of a hand blocking a forward-moving police baton is soul-stirring and revolutionary.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2024
One 2020 study featured on the company’s website found that Tasers resulted in fewer injuries than other forms of force including police dogs, batons and physical confrontations.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2024
The libretto is by poet Imani Tolliver, and the music is by Emmy Award-winning composer Joel Thompson, under the baton of conductor Lina González-Granados.
—Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for baton 
Victor Blackwell, CNN, 19 June 2024
The visual of a hand blocking a forward-moving police baton is soul-stirring and revolutionary.
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2024
One 2020 study featured on the company’s website found that Tasers resulted in fewer injuries than other forms of force including police dogs, batons and physical confrontations.
—Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2024
The libretto is by poet Imani Tolliver, and the music is by Emmy Award-winning composer Joel Thompson, under the baton of conductor Lina González-Granados.
—Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for baton
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near baton
Cite this Entry
“Baton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baton. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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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