bat

12 synonyms and 1 antonym for bat, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A small, flying, mostly nocturnal mammal with wings made of skin stretched between its fingers.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

club stick cream

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

paddle willow lick

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

mallet chiropteran drub clobber thrash flutter

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A small, flying, mostly nocturnal mammal with wings made of skin stretched between its fingers.

“A bat flitted past the lamp as we sat in the garden.”

club paddle stick willow mallet chiropteran

2. verb

To take a turn hitting the ball in games like cricket or baseball.

“Who wants to bat first, and who would rather field?”

drub clobber thrash lick cream flutter

Opposites

field

How to use bat

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

bat and ball blind as a bat go to bat for someone

Etymology

The flying-mammal sense comes from a dialect word related to Middle English "bakke"; the sporting-equipment sense is unrelated, from Old French "batte," meaning a club or beater.

Full origin of bat →

Frequently asked questions

What does “bat” mean?

The word “bat” means a small, flying, mostly nocturnal mammal with wings made of skin stretched between its fingers.

How do you pronounce “bat”?

“Bat” is pronounced bat (/bæt/ in IPA).

How do you use “bat” in a sentence?

Here is “bat” used in a sentence: “Bats swooped out of the cave at dusk to hunt insects.”

What part of speech is “bat”?

Depending on how it is used, “bat” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “bat” come from?

The word “bat” comes from Old French. The flying-mammal sense comes from a dialect word related to Middle English "bakke"; the sporting-equipment sense is unrelated, from Old French "batte," meaning a club or beater.

Is “bat” a common word?

“Bat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “bat” have?

“Bat” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small, flying, mostly nocturnal mammal with wings made of skin stretched between its fingers.

What is the difference between a 'bat' and a 'club' in sports?

In sports like baseball and cricket, a "bat" is the specific wooden or metal implement used to hit the ball, while "club" is the general word for a stick used to strike and is standard in golf. You hit a ball with a bat but play golf with a club.

What is the difference between a 'bat' and a 'racket'?

A bat is a solid club used to hit a ball in baseball or cricket, while a racket has a frame strung with cord and is used in tennis or badminton. Table tennis uses a small solid paddle that is also called a bat in British English.

Does the animal 'bat' and the sports 'bat' share a meaning?

No, they are unrelated words that happen to be spelled and pronounced the same. One is a small flying nocturnal mammal, and the other is a club for hitting a ball, so only context shows which is meant.

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field club stick cream lick willow paddle thrash mallet clobber flutter drub

Nearby words

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