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

How To Store Pie in the Refrigerator The downside to refrigerating pies is that the texture of the crust may suffer after chilling, becoming less crisp and flaky. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2025

At this point, the dip can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025

How to Help Food Stay Cool For those who still want to bring food that needs to be refrigerated, Amidor says that a cooler is your best bet. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. —Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2025

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