designated hitter

noun

1
: a baseball player designated at the start of the game to bat in place of the pitcher without causing the pitcher to be removed from the game
2

Examples of designated hitter in a Sentence

you'll have to be my designated hitter in the office while I'm on business trips
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer left Game 3 of the World Series with an apparent injury after taking a massive swing at a pitch. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 The Blue Jays, of course, had aggressively pursued Ohtani two winters ago, when the Japanese designated hitter/pitcher opted to sign a long-term deal with the Dodgers. Tim Britton, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry, a Grapevine High School product, was hit with a 99.6 mph fastball on a bunt attempt Tuesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2025 Trout’s 400th Angels designated hitter Mike Trout hit the 400th home run of his career on Saturday night at Coors Field. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for designated hitter

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of designated hitter was in 1928

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Cite this Entry

“Designated hitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designated%20hitter. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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