marinate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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marinatesimple
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marinatessimple
-
have marinatedperfect
-
has marinatedperfect
-
am marinatingprogressive
-
are marinatingprogressive
-
is marinatingprogressive
-
have been marinatingperfect progressive
-
has been marinatingperfect progressive
Past
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marinatedsimple
-
had marinatedperfect
-
was marinatingprogressive
-
were marinatingprogressive
-
had been marinatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of marinate
1635–45; probably < Italian marinato, past participle of marinare to pickle. See marine, -ate 1
Explanation
When you marinate food, you let it sit in a flavorful liquid before cooking it. You might marinate fish in soy sauce before putting it on the grill. The liquid used to marinate meat, fish, or vegetables is called a "marinade," and it usually includes some acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar that helps the flavors penetrate the food. When you marinate chicken or tofu or beef, it becomes more moist and delicious after you cook it. The French root, mariner, means "to pickle in sea brine."
Vocabulary lists containing marinate
A Culinary Vocabulary Sampler
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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.
Marinate chicken thighs in whole-milk yogurt — the kind that coats thickly and carries salt and spice deep into the meat.
From Salon • Feb. 24, 2026
Marinate meat for 30 minutes or overnight before threading it onto skewers and grilling over medium-high heat until each piece is lightly charred.
From Washington Post • Aug. 25, 2022
Marinate the steak: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, oil, cilantro, scallions, garlic and 1 tablespoon steak seasoning.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2022
But proceed with caution: Marinate the chicken too long and you’ll end up with gluey shreds of meat.
From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2021
Marinate the vegetables, separately, with French dressing; cook the salmon by the directions previously given; remove the skin and cover the sides with jelly mayonnaise or fancy butter.
From Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing-Dish Dainties With Fifty Illustrations of Original Dishes by Hill, Janet McKenzie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
