ripe

adjective

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\ ˈrīp

riper; ripest

Definition of ripe

1 : fully grown and developed : mature ripe fruit ripe wheat

2 : having mature knowledge, understanding, or judgment

3 : of advanced years : late a ripe old age

4a : suitable, appropriate the time was ripe for the attempt

b : fully prepared : ready the colonies were ripe for revolution

5a : brought by aging to full flavor or the best state : mellow ripe cheese

b : smelly, stinking

6 : ruddy, plump, or full like ripened fruit a ripe figure

7 : indecent ripe language

Other Words from ripe Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ripe

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Examples of ripe in a Sentence

The apples are nearly ripe. the clothes of the field hands were sweaty and ripe after a hard day's work

Recent Examples on the Web Turf represented by any other Congress members who retire or seek other offices before the maps are drawn would also be ripe for redistribution. — Sabrina Eaton, cleveland, "Who will get zapped when Ohio redraws congressional maps?," 1 May 2021 Keep your credit card on ice and avoid making major expenditures until next week. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Permanent fixtures in your life may be ripe for remodeling. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, "Horoscope for April 29, 2021: Happy birthday Michelle Pfeiffer; Sagittarius, don’t waste your money," 29 Apr. 2021 In August of '09 conditions were ripe for twisters. — Paul Douglas, Star Tribune, "Promising Start to May - 80 Degrees by Saturday Afternoon?," 28 Apr. 2021 For all of its preceding months of projections and prognostications, the NFL draft is always ripe for a few surprises. — Michael Middlehurst-schwartz, USA TODAY, "Five NFL prospects who could be surprise first-round draft picks," 28 Apr. 2021 Unlike some of the Duchess's more formal looks, this genre of outfit is ripe for recreation with royals and non-royals alike and Kate's ensemble today is no exception. — Annie Goldsmith, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton Sported a Farm-Chic Look in County Durham," 27 Apr. 2021 But with newfound attention on VAERS, this crucial public health system -- which anyone can access -- is ripe for abuse, misuse and plain misunderstanding. — Karine Hafuta, ABC News, "What Americans need to know about the government's VAERS database: ANALYSIS," 24 Apr. 2021 Robotic lenses can zoom in on seedlings to predict when vegetables will be ripe for picking. — Washington Post, "Farmers have more mouths to feed. Bring in the robots.," 22 Apr. 2021 The age-old question is ripe for discussion again now that there's a new Mortal Kombat hitting the big screen. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "The new Mortal Kombat movie has brutal kills but not much else: Review," 22 Apr. 2021

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

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Last Updated

3 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Ripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripe. Accessed 15 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for ripe

ripe

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of ripe

of fruits and vegetables : fully grown and developed and ready to be eaten

: ready or suitable for something

of food and especially cheese : brought to full flavor or the best state by being stored for a period of time

See the full definition for ripe in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ripe

adjective

\ ˈrīp

riper; ripest

Kids Definition of ripe

1 : fully grown and developed ripe fruit

2 : of advanced years a ripe old age

3 : ready entry 1 sense 1 They were ripe for action.

ripe

adjective

Legal Definition of ripe

1 : of, relating to, or being a claim for relief that is ready for judicial resolution because the injury is certain to occur and is not merely hypothetical or speculative — compare moot

2 : ready and appropriate for disclosure because reasonably determined to be valid and not required to be kept secret for business reasons —used of corporate information