Synonyms

ripen

American

[rahy-puhn] / ˈraɪ pən /

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become ripe.
to bring or come to maturity, the proper condition, etc.; mature.

ripen British

/ ˈraɪpən /

verb

to make or become ripe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

half-ripened adjective
overripen verb
ripener noun
underripened adjective
unripened adjective
unripening adjective
well-ripened adjective

Etymology

Origin of ripen

First recorded in 1555–65; ripe + -en ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“They will ripen in a few days. Take them home with you. So you won’t forget us.”

From Literature

At 72, Uncle Thing wakes up at dawn every day and weaves around his hilly farm to collect ripened durians, either dangling from trees or nestling on nets close to the ground.

From BBC

Back at base camp, the fruits were frozen to halt further ripening.

From Science Daily

And like every such show, it can be expected to ripen with age, if age comes.

From Los Angeles Times

“Unlike during childhood, Act III is a quiet ripening. It takes time and experience, and yes, perhaps the inevitable slowing down,” she wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023