bathe
Americanverb (used with object)
-
bathes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bathed,
past participle, past
-
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.
-
to apply water or other liquid to, with a sponge, cloth, etc..
to bathe a wound.
-
to wash over or against, as by the action of the sea, a river, etc..
incoming tides bathing the coral reef.
-
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
-
bathes
plural
verb
-
(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
-
(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
-
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:
“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
The pictures of a clearly uncomfortable Messi helping Sheila bathe her son in a blue plastic tub were published, then forgotten, until Yamal helped Spain win the 2024 European Championship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
As part of the process, Regis has recorded many of the day-to-day tasks they confront, including navigating Medicaid options and helping her wash and bathe.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Officials have withdrawn advice for people not to bathe at Portstewart Strand after tests of the water showed it posed no risk to the public.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Michelangelo—arguably the greatest artist mankind has ever seen—became so pathologically obsessed with sculpting David that he didn’t bathe, or take care of himself for months.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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 rising sun bathes the rolling Herefordshire hillsides in a warm glow as birds gently chirp and sheep graze in the fields.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The newly installed modern lighting bathes the room in a warm, cathedral-like glow.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
It turns out Ashton Kutcher bathes on the regular after all, trend stories be damned.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026
Though no one bathes in it anymore, not in public.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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
Yamal, as a baby boy himself, was famously pictured being bathed by then Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
A small sunbeam had bored its way down through the overhead green, and the playhouse was bathed in a warm radiant glow.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
“Coffee is dressed up in a jacket, right? Iced coffee’s like a bathing suit.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 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
Wearing bathing costumes and many carrying children, the tourists were moved to nearby beaches, while about 200 were taken to a ship waiting at sea, officials and public broadcaster ERT said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The daily amount depends instead on the type of care, such as nursing care or home healthcare services such as bathing and dressing.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Though, her signature petals were still represented by the oversized white daisies covering her neon pink bathing suit.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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