ripen

verb

rip·​en ˈrī-pən How to pronounce ripen (audio)
ˈrī-pᵊm
ripened; ripening ˈrī-pə-niŋ How to pronounce ripen (audio)
ˈrīp-niŋ

intransitive verb

: to grow or become ripe

transitive verb

1
: to make ripe
2
a
: to bring to completeness or perfection
b
: to age or cure (cheese) to develop characteristic flavor, odor, body, texture, and color
c
: to improve flavor and tenderness of (beef or game) by aging under refrigeration
ripener
ˈrī-pə-nər How to pronounce ripen (audio)
ˈrīp-nər
noun

Examples of ripen in a Sentence

The tomatoes finished ripening on the windowsill. You can ripen the fruit by placing it in a paper bag and storing it at room temperature for a few days.
Recent Examples on the Web These easy-care plants with small, dark green leaves produce many small, unique tasting berries (imagine a slightly resinous strawberry-mint bubblegum) that ripen in early fall. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 But this is part of the problem with deciduous fruit trees; the fruit ripens during a period of a few weeks. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2024 June 21: The full strawberry moon, named for the ripening strawberries common in June, graces the early summer sky. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Many ripening berries were ready to be harvested around this time in the northeastern United States. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Jan. 2024 Tomato splitting typically occurs in ripening fruit, though green tomatoes can be affected. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2023 This happens via a process called Ostwald ripening where small particles dissolve and then regrow onto larger particles. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023 Advertisement While Thomas introduces the group to the resident pigs who act as a sustainable food-waste disposal system, farm manager Brent Walker walks down rows of crops to inspect ripening apples and Asian pears and check for leaks in irrigation hoses. Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Bananas are picked green to ripen uncovered at room temperature. Carole Kotkin, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ripen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ripen was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ripen

Cite this Entry

“Ripen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripen. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ripen

verb
rip·​en ˈrī-pən How to pronounce ripen (audio)
ripened; ripening ˈrīp-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce ripen (audio)
: to make or become ripe

More from Merriam-Webster on ripen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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