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 immediate batter-to-pan reaction caramelizes the sugars (there's that word again) in the batter and creates greater flavor and color. —Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 11 May 2026

Here, ripe slices are layered over a buttery, flaky crust with garlic, grated cheese, lemon zest, and fresh herbs, then baked until the edges are deeply golden and the tomatoes are soft and caramelized. —Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 May 2026

The marbled and melting meat is cooked absolutely correctly and served sliced from the kitchen to savor with more mushrooms, this time caramelized in beef tallow. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026

The bronzed skin is tacky with the bird’s own fat and sugars, and beautifully caramelized along every ridge. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 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