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
As for the brand’s other units opened recently, the interior concept was overseen by the company’s founder, who retired from the runway last year, passing the creative baton to Julian Klausner.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
The plaintiffs later accused the department of violating the order by hitting journalists with batons and arresting them during an August protest.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
Having her hand off the baton made the most sense.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 15 Sep. 2025
Under the baton of Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green, the Charlotte Symphony will be joined by Sphinx Virtuosi, the chamber orchestra of the Sphinx Organization, a national non-profit organization based in Detroit.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
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Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
The plaintiffs later accused the department of violating the order by hitting journalists with batons and arresting them during an August protest.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
Having her hand off the baton made the most sense.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 15 Sep. 2025
Under the baton of Conductor Laureate Christopher Warren-Green, the Charlotte Symphony will be joined by Sphinx Virtuosi, the chamber orchestra of the Sphinx Organization, a national non-profit organization based in Detroit.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 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 20 Sep. 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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