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
Bring new life to those day-old croissants in this savory breakfast casserole, complete with country ham, spinach, Dijon mustard, and caramelized onions.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
The onions caramelize, becoming inseparable from the patty.
—Heide Brandes, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2026
The marbled and melting meat is cooked absolutely correctly and served sliced from the kitchen to savor with more mushrooms, this time caramelized in beef tallow.
—Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
The bronzed skin is tacky with the bird’s own fat and sugars, and beautifully caramelized along every ridge.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 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.
Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
The onions caramelize, becoming inseparable from the patty.
—Heide Brandes, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2026
The marbled and melting meat is cooked absolutely correctly and served sliced from the kitchen to savor with more mushrooms, this time caramelized in beef tallow.
—Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
The bronzed skin is tacky with the bird’s own fat and sugars, and beautifully caramelized along every ridge.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 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 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
