bathe

1 of 2

verb

ˈbāt͟h How to pronounce bathe (audio)
bathed; bathing
Synonyms of bathenext

transitive verb

1
: moisten, wet
2
: to wash in a liquid (such as water)
3
: to apply water or a liquid medicament to
4
: to flow along the edge of : lave
5
: to suffuse with or as if with light

intransitive verb

1
: to take a bath
2
: to go swimming
3
: to become immersed or absorbed
bather
ˈbā-t͟hər How to pronounce bathe (audio)
noun

bathe

2 of 2

noun

1
British : bath entry 1 sense 1
2
British : swim, dip

Synonyms of bathe

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Verb

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Examples of bathe in a Sentence

Verb the cool waters of the North Atlantic bathe the island's shores bathe your contact lens with the solution before inserting them Noun We went for a bathe in the sea.
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Verb
In the tottering years, a bathing bird or blossoming flower will raise a thrill in you like only a game winning home run or a Disney World vacation used to. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 In January of 2025, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 On Saturday morning, Donald Judd’s 100 Untitled Works in Mill Aluminum was glimmering in the Marfa sunshine, bathed in light with nobody to see it. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 Dduk Dabang The restaurant specializes in toppoki, which are hot dishes filled with chewy rice cakes bathed in a sauce. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bathe

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English bathian; akin to Old English bæth bath

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bathe was before the 12th century

Rhymes for bathe

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Browse Nearby Words

Bath coup
bathe
bathed in sweat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bathe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bathe

verb
ˈbāt͟h
bathed; bathing
1
: to take a bath
2
: to go swimming
3
: to give a bath to
bathe the baby
4
: to apply a liquid to
bathe the eyes
5
: to cover with or as if with a liquid
a scene bathed in moonlight
bather
ˈbā-t͟hər
noun

Medical Definition

bathe

1 of 2 verb
ˈbāt͟h How to pronounce bathe (audio)
bathed; bathing

transitive verb

1
: to wash in a liquid (as water)
2
: to apply water or a liquid medicament to
bathe the eye with warm water

intransitive verb

: to take a bath

bathe

2 of 2 noun
British
: the act or action of bathing : bath
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