bask

verb

basked; basking; basks

intransitive verb

1
: to lie or relax in a pleasant warmth or atmosphere
basking in the warmth of the sun
2
: to take pleasure or derive enjoyment
basked in the spotlight

transitive verb

obsolete : to warm by continued exposure to heat
basks at the fire his hairy strength …John Milton

Examples of bask in a Sentence

We sat basking in the sun. Tourists were basking on the beaches. He stood before the audience, basking in their applause.
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.
Related Stories ‘Real Women Have Curves’ Announces Broadway Closing Broadway’s 2024-2025 Season: All Of Deadline’s Reviews Perhaps most interesting were the fortunes of shows basking in the Tony glow, or not. Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 June 2025 Here, visitors with otherwise short attention spans may gaze at the watery offerings for hours, giggling at the antics of Atlantic puffins, gasping at the sight of blacktip reef sharks and basking in the biodiversity of the 13,000 organisms that have captivated crowds for 44 years. Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2025 Come stay with us and bask in the beautiful Maryland sunshine! Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 June 2025 President Trump is basking in the U.S. military’s might in light of deploying troops to deal with protests in California ahead of a massive military parade planned in Washington this weekend. Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bask

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably from Old Norse bathask, reflexive of batha to bathe; akin to Old English bæth bath

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of bask was circa 1616

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bask.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bask. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

bask

verb
: to lie or relax in a pleasant warmth or atmosphere
bask in the sun
basked in their success

More from Merriam-Webster on bask

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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