ripen
verb (used with or without object)
to make or become ripe.
have ripened
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present perfectof ripen.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the 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.
Neil MacDonald, who manages more than 1,000 acres of Somerset orchards, says he has watched half his apples fall before they have ripened, because the trees are stressed by the drought.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Once they have ripened adequately, you can store them in the refrigerator for another week, but always serve them at room temperature.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
I grow both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes at Catbird Cottage, and once the first fruits have ripened, after a gleeful harvest, there are BLT sandwiches and numerous batches of sauce and confit that follow.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2021
Others see foreign stocks and emerging markets in particular — Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Eastern Europe — as further opportunities to pick investments before they have ripened.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 5, 2018
In his wandering life he had more than once formed acquaintances with men of tastes more or less similar to his own, which might have ripened into friendships for a man of less morose character.
From Casa Braccio, Volumes 1 and 2 by J. André Castaigne
