ripened; ripening
ˈrī-pə-niŋ 
ˈrīp-niŋ
: to grow or become ripe
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
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
In the process, the fruits stop ripening, turn brown and drop while still hard and small.
—
Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
The open wire design helps ripen fruit while the nifty banana hanger keeps them from bruising.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Get this — current Orioles pitcher Cade Povich played summer ball with the Bananas back in 2020, a few years before this whole thing ripened (yup!).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
If there's no scent at all, leave it to ripen longer.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ripen
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
The open wire design helps ripen fruit while the nifty banana hanger keeps them from bruising.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Get this — current Orioles pitcher Cade Povich played summer ball with the Bananas back in 2020, a few years before this whole thing ripened (yup!).
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
If there's no scent at all, leave it to ripen longer.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ripen
Cite this Entry
“Ripen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripen. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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