ripe

adjective

ˈrīp 

riper; ripest

1

: fully grown and developed : mature

ripe fruit

ripe wheat

2

: having mature knowledge, understanding, or judgment

3

: of advanced years : late

a ripe old age

4

a

: suitable, appropriate

the time was ripe for the attempt

b

: fully prepared : ready

the colonies were ripe for revolution

5

a

: brought by aging to full flavor or the best state : mellow

ripe cheese

b

: smelly, stinking

6

: ruddy, plump, or full like ripened fruit

a ripe figure

7

: indecent

ripe language

ripely adverb

ripeness noun

Synonyms

• adult
• full-blown
• full-fledged
• mature
• matured
• ripened

Examples of ripe in a Sentence

The apples are nearly ripe.

the clothes of the field hands were sweaty and ripe after a hard day's work

Recent Examples on the Web

This is particularly true in the period between six months and a year, when the whole world is ripe for discovery. —Olaf Blecker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024

Fundraising, loans, programming — if the two institutions were truly independent, those interlocking boards would be ripe for conflicts of interest. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024

The north has great growth potential and a lot of prime real estate that is ripe for development which needs to be managed. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2024

Two bills that could be ripe for a challenge, according to several legislators: the skill-games bill that the governor rewrote, and a measure that would allow localities to impose a 1 percent local sales tax to fund school construction, a bipartisan bill that Youngkin vetoed. —Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

The next best thing to eating perfectly ripe peaches has to be enjoying a slow-cooker peach cobbler. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2024

The show’s interest in comportment always felt ripe for a completely online age. —Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

More can be done to improve Bunker Hill, Gehry said, and the streets near Grand Avenue that are thick with parking lots are now ripe for development. —Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

While the rooms are so bright and comfortable guests may be tempted not to leave the property, the hotel’s neighborhood is ripe for exploring. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English rīpe; akin to Old English rīpan, reopan to reap

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ripe

• ripe for abuse
• ripe old age
• ripe with

Kids Definition

ripe

adjective

ˈrīp 

riper; ripest

1

: fully grown and developed

a ripe tomato

2

: having mature knowledge, understanding, or judgment

3

: ready entry 1 sense 1

ripe for action

4

: brought to just the right state

ripely adverb

ripeness noun

Legal Definition

ripe

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or being a claim for relief that is ready for judicial resolution because the injury is certain to occur and is not merely hypothetical or speculative compare moot

2

: ready and appropriate for disclosure because reasonably determined to be valid and not required to be kept secret for business reasons

—used of corporate information

ripeness noun