ripen

[rahy-puhn]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become ripe.

2. to bring or come to maturity, the proper condition, etc.; mature.

ripen

/ ˈraɪpən /

verb

1. to make or become ripe

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ripen¹

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

Example Sentences

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

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

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Wild chimpanzees have been found to consume the equivalent of a bottle of lager's alcohol a day from eating ripened fruit, scientists say.

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She shows me ripening limes and lemons inside her allotment greenhouse.

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As part of her narration, Catherine describes summer as the "season for abundance", saying that "as the flowers bloom and the fruits ripen, we too are reminded of our own potential for growth".

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Related Words

• cultivate