as in flowering
the process of becoming mature
the ripening of a pumpkin can take a whole season
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in growing
to become mature
pears ripening on the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of ripening
Melina Khan, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The rain and cool weather have meant slow ripening, but also (seemingly) faster spoilage.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
Avoid storing cauliflower next to produce that produce ethylene gas (such as apples, melons, peaches, plums, pears, or mangoes), which will speed up the ripening (and eventual rotting) process.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
The flavor can change and any further ripening is halted in its tracks.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
That said, there are challenges with the fruit's uneven ripening window, shelf life and sensitivity to bruising.
—New Atlas, 22 Mar. 2026
Fortunately, a few simple storage methods can help extend their shelf life and slow the ripening process.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
The pears, whose ripening has been slowed or stopped, create pressure on demand for California pears that begin to come into season in July.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Considered a classic example of an excellent season by many winemakers, 2022 had a dry winter and warm spring, which limited vine growth and resulted in small but very concentrated grapes, followed by a relatively mild autumn that allowed for ideal ripening conditions and a relaxed harvest.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2026
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026
Learning to keep bananas from ripening too quickly can help cut down on waste and earn you savings in your weekly grocery budget.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
Among them is Carignan, a grape previously dismissed for ripening too early in the season but now reconsidered as climate patterns shift.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
This keeps plants focused on flowering instead of ripening seeds.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Fruits are ripening and the birds are overhead migrating day and night, guided by the sun and stars on their mind-boggling journeys.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Determinate tomato varieties, such as ‘Celebrity,’ ‘San Marzano Nano,’ ‘Amish Paste,’ and ‘Marglobe’ (among others), have a short harvest season with fruit ripening all at once.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 18 Apr. 2026
Vines have traditionally been planted on the steep slopes of the riverbanks because of excellent drainage, and grapes are exposed to the maximum amount of sun for ripening in this cooler climate region.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026
Refrigeration stops ripening cold.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
Natural yeasts ferment fruit during the ripening process, according to a study in Oxford Academic.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The rain and cool weather have meant slow ripening, but also (seemingly) faster spoilage.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
Avoid storing cauliflower next to produce that produce ethylene gas (such as apples, melons, peaches, plums, pears, or mangoes), which will speed up the ripening (and eventual rotting) process.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
The flavor can change and any further ripening is halted in its tracks.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
That said, there are challenges with the fruit's uneven ripening window, shelf life and sensitivity to bruising.
—New Atlas, 22 Mar. 2026
Fortunately, a few simple storage methods can help extend their shelf life and slow the ripening process.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
The pears, whose ripening has been slowed or stopped, create pressure on demand for California pears that begin to come into season in July.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Considered a classic example of an excellent season by many winemakers, 2022 had a dry winter and warm spring, which limited vine growth and resulted in small but very concentrated grapes, followed by a relatively mild autumn that allowed for ideal ripening conditions and a relaxed harvest.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
However, the capsaicin content of peppers doesn’t increase at a steady rate during the pepper-ripening process.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026
Learning to keep bananas from ripening too quickly can help cut down on waste and earn you savings in your weekly grocery budget.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
Among them is Carignan, a grape previously dismissed for ripening too early in the season but now reconsidered as climate patterns shift.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 May 2026
This keeps plants focused on flowering instead of ripening seeds.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
Fruits are ripening and the birds are overhead migrating day and night, guided by the sun and stars on their mind-boggling journeys.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Determinate tomato varieties, such as ‘Celebrity,’ ‘San Marzano Nano,’ ‘Amish Paste,’ and ‘Marglobe’ (among others), have a short harvest season with fruit ripening all at once.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 18 Apr. 2026
Vines have traditionally been planted on the steep slopes of the riverbanks because of excellent drainage, and grapes are exposed to the maximum amount of sun for ripening in this cooler climate region.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026
Refrigeration stops ripening cold.
—Judy Bart Kancigor, Oc Register, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripening
Noun
-
The general revealed the full flowering of a military career in the British empire.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Watch for yellow, stippled leaves, especially on flowering or fruiting plants.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Viola’s reaction spotlighted growing frustration among competitors who believe the ruling body is using procedural fixes to avoid addressing biological differences in girls' sports.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
In the growing realization that a four-year-degree alone won’t save them from downward mobility?—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The Estate Reserve 15-Year-Old is aged in French Limousin oak barrels, an unusual choice for rum maturation that imparts greater tannic structure and spice complexity than standard ex-bourbon casks.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
The mashbill and maturation of New Riff’s single malt changes with every release (barrels are always filled at 110 proof, however), but these whiskeys have really stood out from the pack, and that remains true with the 2026 edition.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The review confirmed that the engine’s design, manufacturing process, as well as supply chain are progressing on schedule ahead of the next development phase later this year.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
The entire letter to the Jubilee committee offered an optimistic view of the future in which the human race was always progressing toward freedom.—
Marianne Holdzkom,
The Conversation,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Painter said this is exactly the kind of trading a president shouldn’t do, because the president has both confidential information about overseas developments and the power to move commodities markets through his own decisions.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
The blossoming of an ace starting pitcher is one of the most exciting developments in baseball — for a team, for an organization and for its fanbase.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
One recently approved Ben Callery Architects project in Sydney includes a private wing for an aging grandparent, though technically the secondary kitchen could not include a sink or cooktop under local regulations.—
Natalie Hoberman,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Multiple spills — including the 1997 Torch/Platform Irene spill, the 2007 San Francisco Bay Cosco Busan bunker fuel spill, and the 2021 Huntington Beach pipeline leak — have reinforced California’s argument that expanded drilling and aging pipelines pose ongoing environmental risks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Every one of them a story of youth maturing, of exploring their world and coming to some adult understanding of how things work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
As energy prices bleed into every sector, the shift toward renewables is maturing into hard-nosed geopolitical hedging—a permanent insurance policy against a world where fossil fuel prices are controlled by missiles and blockades.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
In response to the growth of Russia’s dissent émigré community, new Russian language bookstores have opened from Prague to London.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Marais warns about an unregulated growth in satellite launches.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ripening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripening. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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