bake

1 of 2

verb

ˈbāk 

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

Verb

Each piece is a little bit of the earth itself, molded to a shape that fits easily in the hand, baked to achieve permanence and then stacked, one atop another, to form a wall that can enclose, shelter and delight us. — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Line pan with a 9-inch-wide strip of parchment paper, extending the parchment over the two long sides of pan (to lift the bread from the pan after baking). — Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026

Noun

Warm, nutty, and rich, brown butter is an ingredient that’s easy to associate with all your favorite fall bakes. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026

Start with a lean cut, trim any visible fat, then grill, roast, bake, broil, air-fry, or slow-cook it. — Lindsey Desoto, HEALTH, 20 Aug. 2026

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

Phrases Containing bake

• bake sale
• pre-bake
• wake and bake

Rhymes for bake

• ache
• ake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake
• fake
• flake
• hake
• jake
• lake

Kids Definition

bake

1 of 2 verb

ˈbāk 

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