sunbathe

sunbathe — verb

1. to lie or sit outside in direct sunlight for a period of time, usually so that y

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to lie or sit outside in direct sunlight for a period of time, usually so that your skin becomes darker

Example

On sunny weekends, Tanvi likes to sunbathe on the rooftop with a book.

sunbathe on [surface/place] — location pattern

The hotel guests were sunbathing by the pool when a cool breeze started blowing.

past continuous: were sunbathing + adverbial of place

Common collocations
  • sunbathe on the beach
  • sunbathe by the pool
  • sunbathe in the garden
  • sunbathe on the roof
  • go sunbathing
  • spend the day sunbathing
  • sunbathing weather
Synonyms
  • tan

    Focuses on the result (darker skin) rather than the activity itself. 'I tan easily in summer.'

  • bask

    More literary; emphasises enjoying warmth rather than intent to darken skin. 'Cats bask in the sun.'

  • sun oneself

    Slightly old-fashioned or formal. Used in descriptive writing. 'She sat on the balcony sunning herself.'

Grammar Patterns

sunbathe + adverbial of place

go sunbathing

Usage Note

Intransitive verb — you sunbathe, but you do not 'sunbathe someone' or 'sunbathe a body part'. The -ing form (sunbathing) is very common, especially in the patterns 'go sunbathing' and 'spend the day sunbathing'. Frequently followed by a phrase showing location (on the beach, by the pool, in the garden).

Common Mistakes

She sunbathed her skin for two hours.
She sunbathed for two hours.
'sunbathe' is intransitive; you cannot give it a direct object.
I like to sunbathe my body in the park.
I like to sunbathe in the park.
the verb already includes the idea of exposing yourself; no object is needed.

Word family

  • sunbathing
    nounB1
  • sunbather
    nounB2
  • sunbathed
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Sunbathe' is the most general verb for lying or sitting in the sun, with the common goal of getting a tan. 'Tan' shifts the focus from the activity to the result — you can say 'I tan easily' without describing the activity itself. 'Bask' is more poetic: it highlights enjoyment of the sun's warmth and does not imply any intention to darken the skin ('The old dog basked on the doorstep'). 'Sun oneself' is a more formal or literary alternative that describes the same physical action without specifying purpose. In everyday conversation, 'sunbathe' and 'go sunbathing' are the most natural choices. For instance: 'We spent the afternoon sunbathing on the hotel terrace' (natural) versus 'We spent the afternoon sunning ourselves on the hotel terrace' (more literary).

tan ↗bask ↗sun oneself

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in English by combining 'sun' (from Old English sunne, a word shared by many Germanic languages) with 'bathe' (from Old English baþian, meaning to wash or immerse oneself). The compound originally described the idea of 'bathing' in sunlight, much like a water bath. It first appeared in the mid-19th century as sunbathing became a popular leisure activity.