B1verb1K

Bake

UK /["/beɪk/","/beɪks/","/beɪkt/","/ˈbeɪkɪŋ/"]/US /["/beɪk/","/beɪks/","/beɪkt/","/ˈbeɪkɪŋ/"]/

Definition

to cook food in an oven without extra fat or liquid; to be cooked in this way

In simple words: To cook food using heat in an oven.

Examples

  • to bake bread/biscuits/cookies
  • baked potatoes/apples
  • the delicious smell of baking bread
  • The bread is baking in the oven.
  • I've been baking all morning.
  • I'm baking a birthday cake for Alex.
  • I'm baking Alex a cake.
  • The bricks are left in the kiln to bake.
  • The sun had baked the ground hard.
  • We sat baking in the sun.

Usage notes

Used when talking about preparing bread, cookies, or cakes. Not typically used for cooking food on a stove. Common in both casual and formal conversations.

Grammar pattern

bake + object

Memory hint

Think of 'cake' to remember 'bake' — baking cakes in the oven.

Collocations

  • freshly baked
  • newly baked

Synonyms

  • cook
  • roast
  • prepare
  • conjure
  • create

Antonyms

  • burn
  • freeze

Common mistakes

  • Saying 'baked' instead of 'bake' for present tense
  • Confusing with 'cook' which is more general
  • Using 'bake' for food cooked in a pan on the stove