bask
Americanverb (used without object)
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to lie in or be exposed to a pleasant warmth.
to bask in the sunshine.
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to enjoy a pleasant situation.
He basked in royal favor.
verb (used with object)
verb
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to lie in or be exposed to pleasant warmth, esp that of the sun
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to flourish or feel secure under some benevolent influence or favourable condition
Etymology
Origin of bask
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old Norse bathask “to bathe oneself,” equivalent to bath- bath 1 + -ask reflexive suffix
Explanation
To bask in something is to take it in, receive its warmth, or bathe in its goodness. On the first warm day of the spring, you may bask in the sunshine. When you win the Pulitzer, you bask in your own glory. In Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” Jaques says: “...As I do live by food, I met a fool; Who laid him down and bask'd him in the sun,; And rail'd on Lady Fortune in good terms...” That was most likely the first time bask was used in the way that we most often use it now: to bask is to warm yourself, either literally or figuratively, in the glow of the sun, good fortune, happiness, or a job well done.
Vocabulary lists containing bask
The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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And Then There Were None
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This Week in Pop Culture: December 1 - 7, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She refused to be drawn on what her future plans could look like when interviewed in the ring, and rightly so as she deserves time to bask in the glory of her achievement.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
On a card lacking stars from previous years like Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett, Murphy was given a golden opportunity to bask in the spotlight but Evloev had other ideas.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
Designed to fit comfortably under your shoulder, the capacious interior is unlined, so everything from your water bottle to your car keys can bask in Italian craftsmanship.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2025
With “Seinfeld,” Stiller reignited the spark in his comedy career after a handful of dramatic roles, and let his wife and longtime creative partner, Anne Meara, bask in the spotlight without him.
From Salon • Oct. 18, 2025
She wanted to leap into those placid blue waters, to feel clean again, to swim and splash and bask in the sun.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
