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 Levy version remains original, topped with cream cheese and caramelized onions. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Bright orange-red shells turned heads, hinting at the bold and surprisingly complementary caramelized and crustacean flavors. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026

The high heat accentuates the natural sweetness of the onions and still gives them that pleasantly toasty and golden color and texture, just with a little less fuss than caramelizing onions on a stovetop, which requires regular stirring. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026

Place under a broiler for 1 to 2 minutes per side, sear in a hot, dry skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side or use a bartender’s or chef’s torch to char, until lightly caramelized. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 9 June 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