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
Juice takes the baton and continues his journey to hopefully discovering inner-peace.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 11 July 2025
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
While his son reached for an officer's baton at a police line, Mark Waynick swung an American flag with a metal pole at the officers.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The prosecution rested its case and handed the baton to the defense May 29 in the Steven Lawson trial, concluding three days of prosecutorial testimony from more than 10 witnesses that included Lawson’s stepdaughters, co-workers and case investigators.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for baton
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Michael Saponara, Billboard, 11 July 2025
Sangay, who took up the baton as the political leader of the exiled government, said that by making the transition to democracy the Dalai Lama wanted to ensure Tibetans can run the movement and the government on their own, even after he is gone.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 3 July 2025
While his son reached for an officer's baton at a police line, Mark Waynick swung an American flag with a metal pole at the officers.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
The prosecution rested its case and handed the baton to the defense May 29 in the Steven Lawson trial, concluding three days of prosecutorial testimony from more than 10 witnesses that included Lawson’s stepdaughters, co-workers and case investigators.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 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 19 Jul. 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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