bake

1 of 2

verb

baked; baking; bakes

transitive verb

1
: to cook by dry heat especially in an oven
bake a cake
bake bread
baked potatoes
baking [=roasting] a chicken
2
: to dry or harden by subjecting to heat

intransitive verb

1
: to prepare food by baking it
a cook who enjoys baking
2
: to become baked
a loaf of bread baking in the oven
3
: to be or become extremely hot
sidewalks baking in the sun

bake

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act or process of baking
2
: a social gathering at which a baked food is served

Examples of bake in a Sentence

Verb She wrapped the fish in foil and baked it for 15 minutes. How long has the cake been baking? They baked the bricks in the sun. The streets were baking in the afternoon heat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Khan-Ghany is now retired from teaching and spends her days baking and sewing with her granddaughter. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025 Just make sure the mixture is well-coated before baking. Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
Its durable material promises impressive heat retention and distribution during oven bakes or stovetop cooking. Clara McMahon, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025 These include dishes like egg bakes, cookies, salads, and wraps. Noah Kaufman, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bake

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English bacan; akin to Old High German bahhan to bake, Greek phōgein to roast

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bake. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

bake

1 of 2 verb
baked; baking
1
: to cook or become cooked by dry heat especially in an oven
2
: to dry or harden by heat
bake bricks
3
: to be or become very hot
a sidewalk baking in the sun
baker noun

bake

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or process of baking
2
: a social gathering at which a baked food is served
especially : clambake

More from Merriam-Webster on bake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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