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

Relevance

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
White’s lyrics are bittersweet pinpricks, his keening vocals already in mourning of childhood’s end—of responsibility, of bathing yourself, in so many words, knowledge of death. — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026 The 45-minute dish is a riff on pasta Alfredo, bathed in a bright sauce that doesn’t require cream or flour, just butter, parmesan and the starchy pasta cooking water. — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026 Beyond the football field, Brown now needed help with personal tasks, including bathing and dressing. — Bella Armstrong, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 Those services usually cover assistants who help people with daily tasks such as bathing, laundry or cooking. — Ana Ceballos follow, Los Angeles Times, 20 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

See All Rhymes for bathe

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 27 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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