variants
or less commonly baptise
baptized also baptised; baptizing also baptising
1
religion
: to administer baptism (see baptism sense 1) to
baptize a child in the Episcopal Church
was baptized a Catholic as an infant
2
a
: to purify or cleanse spiritually especially by a purging (see purge entry 1 sense 1) experience or ordeal
… baptized with pain and rapture, tears and fire …—
Sidney Lanier
Sidney Lanier
b
: initiate
Both developments were baptized under last season's conditions of scanty snow …—New York Times
New York Times3
: to give a name to (as at baptism) : christen
They baptized their son "John" after the baby's grandfather.
: to administer baptism
baptizer
noun
Examples of baptize in a Sentence
The priest baptized the baby.
She was baptized at the age of 20.
Recent Examples on the Web
Any baptized, Catholic man is eligible to be elected pope.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 1 May 2025
On another timeline, the White House might have made better use of Vice President J.D. Vance, who was baptized as a Catholic in 2019, to smooth things over with one of the world’s top religious leaders.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
Most of those who were baptized Sunday were adults who were baptized as a child, but chose the path back to the church after going through trials of life.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
And despite his background — growing up in Linköping, Sweden, in the 1980s — Göransson was practically baptized in American blues music.
—Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baptize
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Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 1 May 2025
On another timeline, the White House might have made better use of Vice President J.D. Vance, who was baptized as a Catholic in 2019, to smooth things over with one of the world’s top religious leaders.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
Most of those who were baptized Sunday were adults who were baptized as a child, but chose the path back to the church after going through trials of life.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2025
And despite his background — growing up in Linköping, Sweden, in the 1980s — Göransson was practically baptized in American blues music.
—Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for baptize
Cite this Entry
“Baptize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baptize. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baptize
verb
bap·tize
bap-ˈtīz 
ˈbap-ˌtīz
baptized; baptizing
1
: to dip in water or sprinkle water on as a part of the ceremony of receiving into the Christian church
2
a
: to make pure in spirit (as by a painful experience)
3
: to give a name to (as in the ceremony of baptism) : christen
baptizer
noun
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