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

Example Sentences

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 The death of Tina Turner is heartbreaking for anyone who’d ever marveled at the brilliance, basked in the warmth, been enthralled by the titanic talent of the woman born Anna Mae Bullock. Stereo Williams, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2023 None of this means that Kia is happy to sit back and bask in its achievements. Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2023 Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis (supporting actress) were genre veterans and longtime stars basking in overdue glory. Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2023 Platinum blond crabeater seals lounged on divans of drifting ice, basking in the sun. Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023 After initially being suspicious, Clarence, basking in the attention, ultimately makes Richard his protégé, patiently explaining how the products are made. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2023 Chris Rock is basking in the wake of his live comedy show. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2023 Shunned by the West, Assad has been basking in an outpouring of support from Arab states that normalized ties with him in recent years. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 20 Feb. 2023 Because of the pandemic, the cast and crew never got a chance to bask in the festival adulation, press coverage and awards ceremony that traditionally accompany Sundance’s biggest winners. David Bloom, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bask.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near bask

Cite this Entry

“Bask.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bask. Accessed 1 Jun. 2023.

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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