caramelize

verb

car·​a·​mel·​ize ˈkär-mə-ˌlīz 

ˈker-ə-mə-, 

ˈka-rə-mə-

caramelized; caramelizing

1

transitive : to subject (sugar or the sugar content of a food) to caramelization : to change into caramel (see caramel sense 1) by heating at high temperature

… flan bathed in caramelized sugar and topped with whipped cream …

—Penelope Casas

At a restaurant, some unlucky prep cook gets to peel, slice, and caramelize bags of onions in the morning.

—Stephanie Alleyne

2

intransitive : to change to caramel

Fructose begins to rapidly caramelize at around 200 degrees …

—Matthew Card

: to undergo caramelization

These sweet potatoes caramelize slightly in the oven, which gives them a sweet crunch as their flesh remains creamy.

—Lesley Porcelli

Examples of caramelize in a Sentence

The onions will take five minutes to caramelize.

Caramelize two cups of sugar.

Continue stirring until the sugar caramelizes.

Recent Examples on the Web

The grains were slick with soy sauce, each one caramelized and tinged with smoke. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026

This happens because oven heat controls how quickly the fat in the dough melts, how fast sugars caramelize, and when proteins and starches firm up. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026

The palate is all rich leather, caramelized sugar and a vague touch of tobacco. —Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026

Almost every Friday, my best friend and I head to our local pizza restaurant, slide into a booth, and place the same order: a kale salad, a large pie with sweet Italian sausage and caramelized onions, and a pitcher of beer. —Ellen O’Brien, SELF, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for caramelize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize