bathe
Americanverb (used with object)
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bathes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bathed,
past participle, past
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bathing
present participle
-
to immerse (all or part of the body) in water or some other liquid, for cleansing, refreshment, etc.
-
to wet; wash.
-
to moisten or suffuse with any liquid.
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to apply water or other liquid to, with a sponge, cloth, etc..
to bathe a wound.
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to wash over or against, as by the action of the sea, a river, etc..
incoming tides bathing the coral reef.
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to cover or surround.
a shaft of sunlight bathing the room; a morning fog bathing the city.
verb (used without object)
-
bathes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bathed,
past participle, past
-
bathing
present participle
noun
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bathes
plural
verb
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(intr) to swim or paddle in a body of open water or a river, esp for pleasure
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(tr) to apply liquid to (skin, a wound, etc) in order to cleanse or soothe
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to immerse or be immersed in a liquid
to bathe machine parts in oil
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to wash in a bath
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(tr; often passive) to suffuse
her face was bathed with radiance
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(tr) (of water, the sea, etc) to lap; wash
waves bathed the shore
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bathesimple
-
bathessimple
-
have bathedperfect
-
has bathedperfect
-
am bathingprogressive
-
are bathingprogressive
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is bathingprogressive
-
have been bathingperfect progressive
-
has been bathingperfect progressive
Past
-
bathedsimple
-
had bathedperfect
-
was bathingprogressive
-
were bathingprogressive
-
had been bathingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of bathe
before 1000; Middle English bath ( i ) en, Old English bathian, equivalent to bæth bath 1 + -ian infinitive suffix
Explanation
When you bathe, you wash yourself. A cat bathes itself by licking its fur with a rough tongue. If you're human, don't try that technique. The word bathe generally means to clean yourself in a tub of water — as opposed to shower, which means to wash beneath a stream of water. You can, however, use this verb to describe almost any kind of cleansing: you might bathe the scrape on a child's knee with a soapy cloth. Poetically, the sun can also bathe, or saturate, something with light. In Britain, to bathe also means "to swim."
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.
See Examples For:
You may endure a period of time where you cannot put your own clothes, bathe, or even cook or feed yourself.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026
"We don't have clean water to drink or even to bathe."
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
“Am I going to buy it because I want to bathe in a pickle? No,” said Lucas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
She also wants to add a water feature where birds and butterflies can bathe and sip, and she plans to plant more berries to attract more pollinators.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Nate parks well away from the lights that bathe the street from overhead.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Inspired by traditional Indian cooking and Southeast Asian flavors, this Food52 recipe bathes and simmers sautéed heads of romaine in a delicious mixture of gingery coconut milk, fresh lime juice and fish sauce.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
The newly installed modern lighting bathes the room in a warm, cathedral-like glow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Pineal cysts symptoms can be caused if the cyst is big enough to obstruct the passage of cerebrospinal fluid - the fluid constantly produced by the brain, which bathes and supports it, he added.
From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2024
John Andrews, MD, a resident in neurosurgery, placed the tissue on a nutrient medium that resembles the cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2024
The red stream circles the glass and bathes the little roses.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
The living room, bathed in natural light, offers vaulted ceilings, a chic bar area, and a fireplace.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
A hubbub filled the room, bathed in pink-red light, mirroring the party's red rose emblem.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
Tracing Saint’s rise and fall over six seasons, the final episode was bathed in tragedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
A coyote is bathed in red light; a cougar stalks near a grand piano; a man stands in a tropical jungle surrounded by mist; a pay phone off the hook dangles by its cord.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
After we’ve bathed and tended to our blisters and wounds, we feel like ourselves again.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
According to the charity, sewage was discharged into Wales' designated bathing waters for a total of 35,669 hours over the year.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Coffee is dressed up in a jacket, right? Iced coffee’s like a bathing suit.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
“Floor-to-ceiling windows opened to the south and east, bathing the space in natural light,” Jacobs gushed.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
Each floor will have two neighborhoods, where staff will prepare meals for residents and assist residents with their daily needs, such as bathing and getting dressed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
“We must show the bathing costumes at least every other week.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
