verb

batter

BA-tuh

verb

To hit something or someone repeatedly and violently.

"Waves battered the small boat throughout the night."

"He was battered by criticism after the decision."

noun

A liquid mixture of flour, egg, and milk used in baking or to coat food before frying.

"She whisked up a batter for the pancakes."

In cricket or baseball, the player at bat.

"The batter stepped up to the plate."

How to Use Batter

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo strike repeatedly and hard, the flour-and-egg mixture used in cooking, or the player currently hitting in cricket/baseball.

Common mistake

Don't confuse "batter" (the cooking mixture, or repeated striking) with "battery" (an unlawful physical attack in legal terms, or the power source).

Easily confused with

battery →

Common pairings

battered by storms pancake batter battered fish

battered past tense, battered past tense, batters plural, batters plural, batters plural, batters singular, batters singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “batter” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

Waves _____ the small boat throughout the night.

From Middle English batteren, a repeated-action form of "bat" — literally "to keep hitting."

batsman

batsman

matter hatter latter patter scatter shatter flatter chatter clatter spatter platter squatter

batsman