caramelize
verb
car·a·mel·ize
ˈkär-mə-ˌlīz 
ˈker-ə-mə-,
ˈka-rə-mə-
caramelized; caramelizing
1
transitive
: to subject (sugar or the sugar content of a food) to caramelization : to change into caramel (see caramel sense 1) by heating at high temperature
… flan bathed in caramelized sugar and topped with whipped cream …—
Penelope Casas
Penelope CasasAt a restaurant, some unlucky prep cook gets to peel, slice, and caramelize bags of onions in the morning.—Stephanie Alleyne
Stephanie Alleyne2
intransitive
: to change to caramel
Fructose begins to rapidly caramelize at around 200 degrees …—Matthew Card
: to undergo caramelization
Matthew CardThese sweet potatoes caramelize slightly in the oven, which gives them a sweet crunch as their flesh remains creamy.—Lesley Porcelli
Lesley PorcelliExamples of caramelize in a Sentence
The onions will take five minutes to caramelize.
Caramelize two cups of sugar.
Continue stirring until the sugar caramelizes.
Recent Examples on the Web
This classic Southern recipe is a contrast of a rich and cheesy, egg-like custard with sweet, caramelized Vidalia onions.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel and onion are completely softened and start to caramelize a bit, 10 to 12 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent items include butternut squash Milanese, pickled mushroom croquettes and caramelized apple olive oil cake.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Her menu mingles brandy-scented shrimp or filet mignon rolled with prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, caramelized onions, sage and rosemary with tagliolini sauced with pomodoro or lemon cream.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for caramelize
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel and onion are completely softened and start to caramelize a bit, 10 to 12 minutes.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent items include butternut squash Milanese, pickled mushroom croquettes and caramelized apple olive oil cake.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026
Her menu mingles brandy-scented shrimp or filet mignon rolled with prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, caramelized onions, sage and rosemary with tagliolini sauced with pomodoro or lemon cream.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for caramelize
Cite this Entry
“Caramelize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caramelize. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
