tenderize

American

[ten-duh-rahyz] / ˈtɛn dəˌraɪz /

especially British, tenderise

verb (used with object)

tenderized, tenderizing

to make (meat) tender, as by pounding or by a chemical process or treatment.

tenderize British

/ ˈtɛndəˌraɪz /

verb

(tr) to make (meat) tender by pounding it to break down the fibres, by steeping it in a marinade, or by treating it with a tenderizer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

tenderization noun
tenderizer noun
untenderized adjective

Etymology

Origin of tenderize

First recorded in 1725–35; tender ¹ + -ize

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.

Clean your octopus, tenderize it, cure it with kosher salt, and chop it into chunks, then add it to the colander and repeat the process.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2023

Orlando used heavy pressure to tenderize Tullis-Joyce, totaling 12 shots overall in the first half, the keeper saving five before the break.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2023

Rather than marinate the chicken for hours, 30 minutes will boost flavor and tenderize the meat.

From Washington Times • Apr. 17, 2023

I added a fair amount of sugar and an egg, in addition to buttermilk to help tenderize the dough, so that the finished shortcakes aren’t too crisp and can be eaten entirely with a spoon.

From Washington Post • Jul. 29, 2022

The result didn’t taste as good as salt, but it was better than nothing, and the same residue could be used to tenderize tough leaves or meat.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023