ripened; ripening
ˈrī-pə-niŋ 
ˈrīp-niŋ
: to grow or become ripe
1
: to make ripe
2
a
: to bring to completeness or perfection
b
: to age or cure (cheese) to develop characteristic flavor, odor, body, texture, and color
c
: to improve flavor and tenderness of (beef or game) by aging under refrigeration
Examples of ripen in a Sentence
The tomatoes finished ripening on the windowsill.
You can ripen the fruit by placing it in a paper bag and storing it at room temperature for a few days.
Recent Examples on the Web
Complete bunch grape harvests and begin picking ripening muscadines.
—
Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2024
Many ripening berries were ready to be harvested around this time in the northeastern United States.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 20 June 2024
The banana ice cream is made with chunks of banana ripened to the perfect state, as are their in season strawberry and blueberry ice creams.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2024
The ethylene gas from the other fruit will help the banana ripen faster, according to Frontiers for Young Minds.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ripen 
Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2024
Many ripening berries were ready to be harvested around this time in the northeastern United States.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 20 June 2024
The banana ice cream is made with chunks of banana ripened to the perfect state, as are their in season strawberry and blueberry ice creams.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2024
The ethylene gas from the other fruit will help the banana ripen faster, according to Frontiers for Young Minds.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ripen
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ripen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ripen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripen. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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