as in decayed
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
an overripe artist whose abstract paintings are no longer considered fresh or significant
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Recent Examples of overripe
At its proudly overripe heart, the series is a gothic domestic soap—Lifetime themes gussied up in Southern finery.
—
Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022
But at the end of 2021, S&P profits already looked overripe.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2022
Your standard kelewele recipe calls for chopping an overripe plantain into bite-size pieces and coating it in a blend of garlic, ginger, onion, crushed red pepper, and other spices before frying it in sizzling oil.
—Adjoa D. Danso, Bon Appétit, 2 Nov. 2021
Check your raspberry patch and harvest every few days to avoid overripe fruit that attracts picnic beetles and other pests.
—Melinda Myers, Star Tribune, 30 July 2021
Chilling your tomatoes can cause loss of sweetness and texture but is an option if the tomatoes are overripe (and always refrigerate a tomato that has been cut).
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 2 June 2021
In cooler vintages, when the grapes are not so overripe, this wine should excel.
—Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2021
At any given moment in any given store, the avocados might be overripe, the organic carrots sold out, the fancy olive oil moved from its normal location to a new display.
—Johana Bhuiyan, chicagotribune.com, 31 Aug. 2020
The wines are full-bodied but not at all overripe or forced, to use Thera’s term.
—Eric Asimov, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2020
Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022
But at the end of 2021, S&P profits already looked overripe.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2022
Your standard kelewele recipe calls for chopping an overripe plantain into bite-size pieces and coating it in a blend of garlic, ginger, onion, crushed red pepper, and other spices before frying it in sizzling oil.
—Adjoa D. Danso, Bon Appétit, 2 Nov. 2021
Check your raspberry patch and harvest every few days to avoid overripe fruit that attracts picnic beetles and other pests.
—Melinda Myers, Star Tribune, 30 July 2021
Chilling your tomatoes can cause loss of sweetness and texture but is an option if the tomatoes are overripe (and always refrigerate a tomato that has been cut).
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 2 June 2021
In cooler vintages, when the grapes are not so overripe, this wine should excel.
—Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2021
At any given moment in any given store, the avocados might be overripe, the organic carrots sold out, the fancy olive oil moved from its normal location to a new display.
—Johana Bhuiyan, chicagotribune.com, 31 Aug. 2020
The wines are full-bodied but not at all overripe or forced, to use Thera’s term.
—Eric Asimov, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overripe
Adjective
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In a guest role that’s been extremely well hidden in the months leading up to the premiere, Bradley Cooper turns heel as Elijah Gemstone, a degenerate con man who sees right through Abel Grieves’s lucrative scam before plugging him in the forehead.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
-
In theory, the walls of carbon nanotubes house a sea of degenerate electrons that have a similar density to metals.—
The Physics arXiv Blog,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
And while the unemployment rate remains low, hiring has been weak, leaving those without jobs struggling to find new work.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
-
Total textile and apparel exports declined from $44.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $35.8 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31), due to weak global demand and elevated production costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Past the tiny front gate, the space reveals its captivatingly decadent allure.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
20 June 2025
-
But for every wellness influencer touting the nutritional benefits of whole milk, there are creators leaning into milk’s decadent appeal.—
Ashliene McMenamy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Shot on low-grade digital cameras that made every image look even more apocalyptic and degraded, the film remains utterly terrifying, boasting excellent supporting turns from Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson as Jim’s fellow survivors.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
-
The good news is that General Mills is more than 60% of the way to achieving its goal of advancing regenerative agriculture—farming practices that regenerate degraded soil—on a million acres of land by 2030.—
Dave Levinthal,
Fortune,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
And there’s an intriguing romance between Nancy and Hamish (James Musgrave), a slightly effete soldier whose lack of commitment, and indeed libido, suggests her taste in men might not be as sharp as her wit.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
17 June 2025
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In this view, other European immigrants were unsuitable for civilizing the frontier—Southern Europeans were effete and decadent while Eastern European Jews were hapless in the woods and better-suited to urban, commercial spaces.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement This is what happened last year when their most significant trade-deadline pickup was washed-up pitcher Lance Lynn, or the year before when their major summer acquisition was strikeout-prone outfielder Joey Gallo. Dodgers Clayton Kershaw returns to the Dodgers.—
Dylan Hernández,
Los Angeles Times,
25 July 2024
-
Forget washed-up — Escola might not yet be a widely recognizable name, but the 37-year-old is on track to become one of the most original and influential voices in the alternative comedy scene.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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That includes things like mapping the profiles of people who could make future leaders, prioritizing growth opportunities for them, and focusing on cultivating softer people skills among this group, along with technical expertise.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
-
While investors are hoping for a soft landing in the U.S. economy, how severe might the outcome be if another recession occurs?—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overripe. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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