refrigerate

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verb re·frig·er·ate \ ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt \

Definition of refrigerate

refrigerated; refrigerating

transitive verb

:to make or keep cold or cool; specifically :to freeze or chill for preservation

foods that should be refrigerated

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refrigeration

play \-ˌfri-jə-ˈrā-shən\ noun

See refrigerate defined for English-language learners

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Examples of refrigerate in a Sentence

Refrigerate the mixture for an hour before serving.
refrigerate the cake after you frost it so that the frosting doesn't melt

Recent Examples of refrigerate from the Web

Most of the products from the Kitchen ship to the U.S (except for fresh face masks and other items that need to be refrigerated) from the headquarters in Poole, but the Kitchen itself hasn't really been publicized.

— kristen bateman, Teen Vogue, "Lush Kitchen Is the Secret Way Fans Get Exclusive Products," 25 Aug. 2017
Cover meat with plastic wrap and let sit overnight, refrigerated.

— sarah rense, Esquire, "How to Make Beef Jerky," 21 Aug. 2017
According to a CNBC report, Amazon wants to use military food technology to create prepared meals that don't need to be refrigerated.

— valentina palladino, Ars Technica, "Military tech could be Amazon’s secret to cheap, non-refrigerated food," 11 Aug. 2017
Don’t expect the cooler to cool foods; refrigerate them the night before, and layer wrapped frozen meats with ice cubes in the cooler.

— hints from heloise, star-telegram, "Get packing for a fun picnic outdoors," 2 Aug. 2017
Cover any leftovers and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

— chris ross, sandiegouniontribune.com, "You’ll eat healthfully with Tuscan Kale Salad," 1 Aug. 2017
Place in a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

— The Courier-Journal, "Xtras recipe of the day: Black bean chili," 21 July 2017
Chocolate butter Makes 1 3/4 cups Note: The flavored butter can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen for up to three months.

— lee svitak dean, The Seattle Times, "Dress up mealtime with DIY-flavored butters," 19 July 2017
Or, refrigerate up to 3 days and serve cold or at room temperature.

— jeanmarie brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Grill-smoked fish answers all your summer needs — salads to spreads to omelets," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'refrigerate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of refrigerate

Latin refrigeratus, past participle of refrigerare, from re- + frigerare to cool, from frigor-, frigus cold — more at frigid

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First Known Use: 1534

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refrigerate Synonyms

Synonyms

chill, cool

Antonyms

heat, toast, warm

Related Words

air-condition; freeze, frost, ice, quick-freeze, supercool; ventilate

Near Antonyms

bake, boil, broil, steam; heat-treat, temper; microwave

REFRIGERATE Defined for English Language Learners

refrigerate

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verb

Definition of refrigerate for English Language Learners

: to put or keep (something, such as food) in a refrigerator in order to make it cold or keep it fresh

REFRIGERATE Defined for Kids

refrigerate

play

verb re·frig·er·ate \ ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt \

Definition of refrigerate for Students

refrigerated; refrigerating

:to make or keep cold or cool especially by placing in a refrigerator

Learn More about refrigerate

See words that rhyme with refrigerate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for refrigerate Spanish Central: Translation of refrigerate Nglish: Translation of refrigerate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of refrigerate for Arabic speakers

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Examples of refrigerate in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of refrigerate

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REFRIGERATE Defined for English Language Learners

refrigerate

Definition of refrigerate for English Language Learners

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refrigerate

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