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

But with the promise of a future meal that only requires a quick reheating, many of us make the effort to store and refrigerate leftover food and meals. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026

Countertop Produce Fresh, uncut bananas, tomatoes, citrus, and cucumbers don't need to be refrigerated and add welcome brightness and crunch to shelf-stable meals. —Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 23 Feb. 2026

Both the filling and the sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated, making this an excellent recipe for prepping in advance. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026

After everything is combined, the mixture is covered and refrigerated for several hours – usually overnight – which allows the oats to absorb the liquid and soften into a porridge-like consistency. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 21 Feb. 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