marinate
verb
mar·i·nate
ˈmer-ə-ˌnāt 
ˈma-rə-
marinated; marinating
: to steep (food such as meat, fish, or vegetables) in a marinade
… fillet of beef, marinated in rice wine with tamarind, cardamom and vegetable pilaf.—
Matthew Fort
Matthew FortThe immense variety of salads, marinated vegetables and beans, frittatas and little tarts that appear on Italian antipasto tables and Spanish tapas bars also provide ideas for this approach.—Susan Jane Cheney
Susan Jane Cheney
often
: to coat or cover (food) with herbs, spices, etc. and let rest before cooking or serving
… a new-fangled brochette of shrimp marinated in spices and skewered with sweet, creamy chunks of date. —William Grimes
William Grimes … herb-marinated cashew cheese served with garnishes like olives, honey and dates. —Florence Fabricant
Florence Fabricant … had the genius idea to fill a tender crust with thinly sliced lemons marinated in sugar. —Monica Micahel Willis
Monica Micahel Willis
: to become marinated
Have rabbit cleaned and cut into small serving pieces. Place in bowl. Pour burgundy over it. Allow to marinate for 6 hours.—Maria Lo Pinto
Maria Lo PintoCeviche, a Peruvian appetizer also popular in the Caribbean and Central America, is prepared by combining bite-size pieces of raw fish with lime or lemon juice and allowing the mixture to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.—Bon Appetit
Bon AppetitExamples of marinate in a Sentence
The recipe says that you should marinate the chicken overnight.
The chicken should be allowed to marinate overnight.
Recent Examples on the Web
How long to marinate chicken: Even 30 minutes of marination can move the needle.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2025
The nuggets are made from all-white meat chicken marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with a blend of breadcrumbs and tortilla chips.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The gap between Whole Lotta Red and Music gave Carti time to let his influence marinate across hip-hop, and for anticipation to build for his next project’s eventual release.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2025
The sandwich pairs a cult favorite creamy, cool, Cilantro Lime Sauce with a boneless breast of chicken marinated with a blend of peppers, grilled until tender, topped with Colby Jack cheese, green leaf lettuce, and tomato, and served on a toasted multigrain brioche bun.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for marinate
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Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2025
The nuggets are made from all-white meat chicken marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with a blend of breadcrumbs and tortilla chips.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The gap between Whole Lotta Red and Music gave Carti time to let his influence marinate across hip-hop, and for anticipation to build for his next project’s eventual release.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2025
The sandwich pairs a cult favorite creamy, cool, Cilantro Lime Sauce with a boneless breast of chicken marinated with a blend of peppers, grilled until tender, topped with Colby Jack cheese, green leaf lettuce, and tomato, and served on a toasted multigrain brioche bun.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for marinate
Cite this Entry
“Marinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marinate. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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