What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
bake
Example
She loves to bake homemade cookies for her friends. [bake: verb]
Example
The cake is baking in the oven and will be ready soon. [baking: present participle]
cook
Example
I like to cook dinner for my family every evening. [cook: verb]
Example
He is a skilled cook who can prepare a wide variety of dishes. [cook: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Cook is a more commonly used word than bake in everyday language. Since cooking covers a wider range of food preparation methods and dishes, it is a more versatile term that is used more frequently in conversations and recipes.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between bake and cook?
Both bake and cook can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, bake is often associated with baking-specific discussions and recipes, which may give it a slightly more formal connotation compared to the more general term cook.