overripe

adjective

ˌō-vər-ˈrīp How to pronounce overripe (audio)
Definition of overripenext
as in decayed
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit an overripe artist whose abstract paintings are no longer considered fresh or significant

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overripe At its proudly overripe heart, the series is a gothic domestic soap—Lifetime themes gussied up in Southern finery. — Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022 Check your raspberry patch and harvest every few days to avoid overripe fruit that attracts picnic beetles and other pests. — Melinda Myers, Star Tribune, 30 July 2021 Chilling your tomatoes can cause loss of sweetness and texture but is an option if the tomatoes are overripe (and always refrigerate a tomato that has been cut). — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 2 June 2021 In cooler vintages, when the grapes are not so overripe, this wine should excel. — Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2021 The wines are full-bodied but not at all overripe or forced, to use Thera’s term. — Eric Asimov, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overripe
  1. decayed
  2. degenerate
  3. weak
  4. decadent
  5. degraded
  6. effete
  7. washed-up
  8. soft
Adjective
  • Discard any that look dead or decayed.
    — Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of decayed
Adjective
  • Or when some man behaving like a degenerate gambler plods into Chelsea Gray’s DMs with a disgusting slur.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Populist theatrics, divorced from the prosaic work of consensus-building and problem-solving, degenerate into political escapism.
    — Will Marshall, Washington Post, 18 July 2026
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • Similar to Spokane, the windiest periods will be during the daytime from Friday through Sunday, with weaker winds each night.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The next step came in 2009, when mathematicians Jordan Ellenberg, Akshay Venkatesh and Craig Westerland posted a preprint paper that claimed to prove a weaker version of the conjecture for every prime.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Once famous for garden parties and croquet, the Victorian-style inn is now known for its boardwalk dining, afternoon tea, and decadent desserts.
    — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026
  • Is there a better snack than a spoonful of creamy, nutty peanut butter or a more decadent dessert than Peanut Butter Brownies?
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 July 2026
Definition of decadent
Adjective
  • Devastating fires across Canada have blown smoke deep into dense US population centers in recent weeks and degraded air quality.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Meet the chicken kidney sponge, a true ecosystem engineer that could use its filter-feeding power to clean the degraded habitats in and around busy harbors.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • Republicans have sought to cast him as an effete extremist.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
  • Scarf critics accuse the accessory—and by extension, its wearers—of being effete or affected.
    — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of effete
Adjective
  • Deborah sees Ava as entitled and self-righteous, Ava sees Deborah as washed-up and boring.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
  • Hacks season 5 Five years ago, Ava (Hannah Einbinder) struggled to accept her lot in life when she was hired to be washed-up comedian Deborah Vance's (Jean Smart) new writer.
    — Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of washed-up
Adjective
  • This buttery-soft basic is worth ditching your frumpy tees for.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 1 Aug. 2026
  • It is commonly used in sports medicine, regenerative medicine and wellness settings with the goal of promoting the healing of tendons, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissues.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of soft

Browse Nearby Words

overriding
overripe
overrode
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Cite this Entry

“Overripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overripe. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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