batted

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'batted' is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used as an intransitive verb to refer to an action involving a use of a hand, fist, or other body part to hit, slap, or strike something. For example: "The boxer batted the heavy bag with several powerful punches."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Once again the art form finds itself at the mercy of people's agendas, batted around by forces that have little to do with its own health and future.

The Guardian

"I thought the boys played really well to make 400; that's very satisfying and really pleasing after the way we batted against New Zealand, and obviously we had some outstanding individual performances," said the Australia captain, Michael Clarke.

The Guardian - Sport

At times all of the top-five batsmen, with the exception of the unfortunate Jonathan Trott, have batted well enough, and certainly confidently against Johnson at least, without going on to make match-defining scores.

The Guardian - Sport

Roy batted brilliantly for his 58 from 25 balls, but once he was caught from a top edge against Patel, it was a different game.

The Guardian - Sport

A big, blue, inflatable alien is being batted around a cinema.

The Guardian - Film

It meant Broad neither fielded nor batted and the side were led by stand-in captain Eoin Morgan.

The Guardian - Sport

Saying that Sutcliffe "once batted for England" is like saying that Michael Jackson once did a bit of moonwalking.

The Guardian - Sport

The difference between them is that group one essentially batted the way that they always bat.

The Guardian - Sport

"Back then, you wouldn't have batted an eyelid if someone walked down the road with a couple of picture frames under his arm," says a local woman, named Schmidt, who is in her 80s and moved to the neighbourhood in 1970.

The Guardian

The possibility of Turnbull becoming prime minister is raised only once, at a town meeting at a pub in Yaraka, population 24 – 220km south of Longreach or a bumpy hour-long flight in a eight-seater plane – quickly batted away with the well-practiced assurance that no change was likely and the country was in capable hands.

The Guardian

"Trotty looked happy and hungry, trained well and batted superbly," Sussex's Robinson told the Observer.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "batted" in a figurative sense, such as "batted away criticism", be mindful of the connotation. It implies a quick, dismissive response.

Common error

Avoid using "batted" when a more precise verb like "addressed", "refuted", or "ignored" would better convey the nuance of how an issue was handled. Overusing "batted" can make your writing sound repetitive or imprecise.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "batted" is as a verb, specifically the past tense and past participle of "bat". It indicates the action of hitting something, often with a bat or similar implement, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Encyclopedias

13%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

31%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "batted", as analyzed by Ludwig, functions primarily as a verb indicating a past action of hitting or deflecting. It is grammatically correct and used across a range of contexts, from sports reporting to figurative expressions of dismissing something quickly. The analysis reveals that "batted" is most frequently found in news and media sources, with neutral tone, making it suitable for diverse writing styles. Alternative phrases like ""hit"", ""struck"", and ""swatted"" can be used to vary expression while maintaining semantic proximity. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is considered correct and widely applicable in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hit

Replaces "batted" with a more general term for striking something.

struck

Similar to 'hit' but can imply a more forceful or impactful contact.

swatted

Suggests a quick, often defensive, hitting motion.

knocked

Implies a forceful impact that moves the object.

slapped

Suggests an open-handed hit, which may or may not be appropriate depending on the context.

fended off

Implies deflecting or warding off something, rather than a direct hit.

deflected

Focuses on changing the direction of something rather than striking it.

tapped

Implies a light, gentle hit, unlike the potentially forceful "batted".

returned

Suggests sending something back, often used in the context of a ball or projectile.

patted

Suggests a gentle touching of the item at hand.

FAQs

How is "batted" typically used in a sentence?

"Batted" is commonly used to describe the action of hitting a ball with a bat in sports, or figuratively to mean deflecting or dismissing something quickly. For example, "He "batted the ball" out of the park" or "She "batted away the accusations"."

What are some alternatives to using "batted"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "batted" include "hit", "struck", "swatted", "deflected", or "fended off". Choose the word that best reflects the specific action you want to describe.

Is "batted" only used in sports-related contexts?

No, while "batted" is frequently used in sports, it can also be used figuratively to describe quickly dismissing or rejecting something. In that kind of context it may be replaced by "rejected", "disregarded", or "ignored".

Which is correct, "batted the question away" or "batted away the question"?

Both "batted the question away" and "batted away the question" are grammatically correct and idiomatic. The choice often depends on personal preference or the rhythm of the sentence, the meaning remains intact.