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
Nichols, who was Black, died in a hospital on Jan. 10, 2023, three days after he was kicked, punched and hit with a police baton following a traffic stop.
—CBS News, 11 Sep. 2024
Another former detective, Desmond Mills, Jr., changed his plea last year, admitting to repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton, making false statements about the arrest, and failing to intervene or provide medical aid.
—Debbie Elliott, NPR, 9 Sep. 2024
Authenticator Kermit was dressed like a police officer and wielded a massive baton.
—Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024
What to know about NBC's Mike Tirico The performance was planned as a patriotic passing of the baton to LA28 ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics four years from now, where the United States is expected to widely embrace its first summer games since the controversial 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for baton 
CBS News, 11 Sep. 2024
Another former detective, Desmond Mills, Jr., changed his plea last year, admitting to repeatedly and unjustifiably striking Nichols with a baton, making false statements about the arrest, and failing to intervene or provide medical aid.
—Debbie Elliott, NPR, 9 Sep. 2024
Authenticator Kermit was dressed like a police officer and wielded a massive baton.
—Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024
What to know about NBC's Mike Tirico The performance was planned as a patriotic passing of the baton to LA28 ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics four years from now, where the United States is expected to widely embrace its first summer games since the controversial 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
—Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 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 Oct. 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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