ripen

verb

rip·​en ˈrī-pən 

ˈrī-pᵊm

ripened; ripening ˈrī-pə-niŋ 

ˈrīp-niŋ

intransitive verb

: to grow or become ripe

transitive verb

1

: to make ripe

2

a

: to bring to completeness or perfection

b

: to age or cure (cheese) to develop characteristic flavor, odor, body, texture, and color

c

: to improve flavor and tenderness of (beef or game) by aging under refrigeration

ripener

ˈrī-pə-nər 

ˈrīp-nər

noun

Synonyms

• grow
• progress

Examples of ripen in a Sentence

The tomatoes finished ripening on the windowsill.

You can ripen the fruit by placing it in a paper bag and storing it at room temperature for a few days.

Recent Examples on the Web

Afaaq must stop him from leaving before the apples ripen and the harvest begins. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2025

Keep them separate as some berries ripen faster than others. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025

When the fruit trees ripen, the walkers bring bags to share. —Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025

After months of bilateral talks between the two countries, the moment was ripening for a provisional peace accord. —Thomas De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

ripen

verb

rip·​en ˈrī-pən 

ripened; ripening ˈrīp-(ə-)niŋ 

: to make or become ripe