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

: representative, substitute

Synonyms of designated hitter

• replacement
• substitute

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

Junior designated hitter John Cullen chipped in with an RBI single for Providence (11-9), while senior outfielder Sammy Atkinson also scored a run. —Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe homered in the second inning, going deep for the fourth time in nine plate appearances. —CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

In the second inning, Royals designated hitter Carter Jensen crushed a one-out double. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026

But Ceddanne Rafaela’s throw to the second base bag just barely beat Jahmai Jones’ slide, and while the Tigers designated hitter was initially ruled safe, the play was overturned on replay. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for designated hitter

• babysitter
• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter