bask
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To bathe in warmth.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
baskIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbæsk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
To bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat.
“The seals were basking in the sun.”
figurative
To take great pleasure or satisfaction; to feel warmth or happiness. (Usually followed by "in".)
noun
The act of bathing in warmth.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient
- Frequency
- Rare
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To bathe in warmth; to be exposed to pleasant heat.
Used this way, bask is a common word with a mildly favourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The seals were basking in the sun.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Positive and appreciative
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “bask in …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: bask in …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use bask
- “The seals were basking in the sun.”verb
- “She relished her fame and basked in her glory.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Large harmless plankton-eating northern shark.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.