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

Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until vegetables soften and onions begin to caramelize. —C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 15 Mar. 2026

Skip the green bean casserole in favor of these green beans—they're accompanied by pearl onions that have been caramelized in butter, garlic, balsamic, and sugar, which turns into a syrupy glaze. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026

Add the bell peppers, poblano peppers, and the remaining 1 teaspoon fajita seasoning and sauté, stirring often, until the onions and peppers are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. —Anna Butler, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026

Desserts might include panna cotta with crab apple jelly, blackberry sorbet, and caramelized white chocolate. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 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