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

Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026

Because it's refrigerated, the dual-lane track doesn't need snow to operate, and is typically open from late November through the beginning of March. —Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 9 Jan. 2026

Once ripe, a pear should be refrigerated to stay fresh for several more days. —Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026

Does refrigerating help or hurt the freshness of your homemade or store-bought loaf? —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 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