refrigerate

verb

re·​frig·​er·​ate ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt 

refrigerated; refrigerating

transitive verb

: to make or keep cold or cool

specifically : to freeze or chill for preservation

foods that should be refrigerated

refrigeration

ri-ˌfri-jə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

Synonyms of refrigerate

• freeze
• chill
• cool

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 on the Web

Related Articles The new cryo tools, which are hand-blown with special snowflakes and made with silicone stems, are meant to be refrigerated, laid on ice or run under cold water before being used in lieu of a face roller or a gua sha. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026

If the pastry has softened, refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before baking. — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Transfer to an airtight container; cover and refrigerate until well chilled. — Priya Krishna, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for refrigerate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

refrigerate

verb

re·​frig·​er·​ate ri-ˈfrij-ə-ˌrāt 

refrigerated; refrigerating

: to make or keep cold or cool

especially : to freeze or chill food to preserve it

refrigeration

-ˌfrij-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun