ripen
verb (used with or without object)
to make or become ripe.
are ripening
-
present progressiveof ripen.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
Without workers, the juicy beefsteak tomatoes that are ripening and must be hand-harvested will rot on the vines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2025
Ron Powell, the former president of the North American Pawpaw Growers' Association, or NAPGA, said he's already noticed changes: His grove of about 500 trees are ripening weeks earlier than usual some years.
From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2022
It says fruits and nuts are ripening faster than ever, which "can spell disaster for wildlife" that feed on them.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2022
But with extreme and prolonged high temperatures, the bunches of grapes are ripening earlier than expected.
From Reuters ● Aug. 3, 2022
Cherries are ripening over all Pennsylvania, and the men gorge as they march.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
