I thought about these two verbs the other day and wondered what the distinction was.

Problem:
Some people use these verbs interchangeably, but they are not quite synonyms.

Explanation:
Some say that roasting specifically applies to meat.

Others say that one can roast vegetables, too.

For example, some say that a roasted potato differs from a baked potato in that the roasted potato is cooked in an oven with liquids poured over it while the baked potato is cooked in an oven without such liquids.

I wondered whether this was the best distinction, so I read the definition of each verb in a dictionary.

The verb “roast” — when it comes to food — specifically means to bake uncovered, and the verb “roast” applies to both meat and other food.

In other words, to roast a potato is to bake it uncovered, usually in an oven.

Whether the potato is cooked with liquids is immaterial to whether it is roasted.

Solution:
Think of roasting as a special way of baking — that is, baking food uncovered.