ripen

American  

[rahy-puhn] / ˈraɪ pən /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become ripe.

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

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ripen British  

/ ˈraɪpən /

verb

1. to make or become ripe

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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

Explanation

When fruit becomes ripe and ready to eat, it ripens. Tomatoes will ripen after you pick them, becoming darker red and more juicy. You can use ripen to talk about the maturing process of all fruits, and some vegetables — apples, peppers, and corn all need to ripen before they're at the perfect, delicious state for being eaten. Figuratively, you can also talk about people this way: "She is really starting to ripen as an actor!" Before ripen was coined around 1560, the verb was ripe, as in, "When the avocados ripe, I'll make guacamole."

Example Sentences

Trees heavy with fruits that ripen through the color spectrum as winter progresses are as much a Southern California holiday tradition as tamales and the Rose Parade.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2024

They are selected according to how quickly their grapes ripen, and their resilience to pests, disease, and other environmental stresses.

From BBC • Dec. 15, 2024

The durians are also less likely to ripen too quickly — and emit more odor — in the cooler night temperatures.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2024

Peaches continue to ripen after harvesting, so you can take them home, and in a couple of days, you’ll have perfect peaches.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2024

They were coming to a thicket of juniper and dog roses, tangled at ground level with nettles and trails of bryony on which the berries were now beginning to ripen and turn red.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Related Words

• cultivate