as in canes
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment
the detainee claimed that the police had beat him with their batons even after he had been shackled
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Recent Examples of batons
State troopers violently attacked the unarmed demonstrators with batons and tear gas — images that shocked the nation and prompted LBJ to give his emergency address to Congress.
—
Russell Contreras, Axios, 22 Mar. 2025
State troopers violently attacked the unarmed demonstrators with batons and tear gas — images that shocked the nation and prompted President Lyndon Johnson to give an emergency address to Congress.
—Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
One police officer used a speaker to order protesters to move onto the sidewalk as other officers stood in the street, batons in hand.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2025
Medical providers concluded that one plaintiff, Christina Wind, likely suffered a stroke after she was struck with batons.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 17 Mar. 2025
Troopers lined up, armed with batons.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 8 Mar. 2025
Opposition supporters peacefully protested a few meters away after security forces wielding guns and batons blocked them from getting to the venue.
—Charles Mangwiro, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
Demonstrators, journalists and police officers were injured at the end of the immigration march in MacArthur Park on May 1 when officers in riot gear used batons and fired 146 rounds of foam-rubber bullets at the journalists and marchers to disperse the crowd.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 3 Jan. 2025
In the final act of Jody Hill’s misunderstood, dismissed, and combatively incisive Observe and Report, a tactical team of cops, equipped with guns, batons, and power, swarms an empty mall.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
Russell Contreras, Axios, 22 Mar. 2025
State troopers violently attacked the unarmed demonstrators with batons and tear gas — images that shocked the nation and prompted President Lyndon Johnson to give an emergency address to Congress.
—Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
One police officer used a speaker to order protesters to move onto the sidewalk as other officers stood in the street, batons in hand.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2025
Medical providers concluded that one plaintiff, Christina Wind, likely suffered a stroke after she was struck with batons.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 17 Mar. 2025
Troopers lined up, armed with batons.
—Ayana Archie, NPR, 8 Mar. 2025
Opposition supporters peacefully protested a few meters away after security forces wielding guns and batons blocked them from getting to the venue.
—Charles Mangwiro, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
Demonstrators, journalists and police officers were injured at the end of the immigration march in MacArthur Park on May 1 when officers in riot gear used batons and fired 146 rounds of foam-rubber bullets at the journalists and marchers to disperse the crowd.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 3 Jan. 2025
In the final act of Jody Hill’s misunderstood, dismissed, and combatively incisive Observe and Report, a tactical team of cops, equipped with guns, batons, and power, swarms an empty mall.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Batons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/batons. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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