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
  • The soil should be moist, faintly acid smelling, from its infusion of decayed compost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Rossi treated the paint surface, meanwhile, by removing oxidized varnish, decayed retouching, and incoherent integrations and additions, allowing viewers to appreciate the luminosity of Fra Angelico’s palette and the precision of his gilding.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of decayed
Adjective
  • When the discs degenerate, vertebrae lose the spongy buffer between bones, resulting in pain.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • The gooey burst of yolk welcomes all guests to a wonderfully delicious and decadent meal.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • That includes lavish dinners with free-flowing booze, part of a decadent culture that Chinese leader Xi Jinping sees as a threat to the ruling Communist Party’s power and the country’s economic growth.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of decadent
Adjective
  • Perhaps building on degraded land, sharing space with agriculture, and designing eco-friendly infrastructure.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, degraded working conditions—see, the adjunctification discourse—make academic professionalization less and less sustainable.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 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
  • On Friday, his only real trouble was in the fifth inning, when a soft single, a line drive and a bunt hit loaded the bases with one out.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2026
  • This finding, the authors said, suggested soft tissue was still holding the skeleton in place.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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