overripe

adjective

ˌō-vər-ˈrīp How to pronounce overripe (audio)
Definition of overripenext
as in decayed
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit an overripe artist whose abstract paintings are no longer considered fresh or significant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 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 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
  1. decayed
  2. degenerate
  3. weak
  4. decadent
  5. degraded
  6. effete
  7. washed-up
  8. soft
Adjective
  • In 2022, a man's decayed body was found stuffed into a metal barrel.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The soil should be moist, faintly acid smelling, from its infusion of decayed compost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of decayed
Adjective
  • When the discs degenerate, vertebrae lose the spongy buffer between bones, resulting in pain.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Or when some man behaving like a degenerate gambler plods into Chelsea Gray’s DMs with a disgusting slur.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • This process can be even more pronounced in smaller galaxies in which the gravitational influence is weaker, and the black holes are less likely to be strongly bound to the galactic center.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Takaichi’s spending plans have drawn attention, raising concerns of debt sustainability and a weaker yen which have pushed Japanese bond yields to multidecade highs.
    — Chloe Taylor,Lee Ying Shan,Fred Imbert, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Shop it on Amazon to get in the sweater-weather mood, and scroll through to shop more of my Phlur favorites, including the decadent Heavy Cream Body Mist and the vacay-ready body oil with glow-boosting shimmer.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The dish epitomized her mom, who loved a decadent chocolate cake.
    — Lia Picard, AJC.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of decadent
Adjective
  • The center will test uncrewed platforms under realistic operational conditions and threats, including degraded or denied communication environments.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Her organization supplies useful trees, restores degraded land while improving biodiversity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of degraded
Adjective
  • Republicans have sought to cast him as an effete extremist.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
  • Scarf critics accuse the accessory—and by extension, its wearers—of being effete or affected.
    — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of effete
Adjective
  • Over the decades, the unassuming, borderline satirical roadside bar became a local landmark, attracting everyone from blue-collar workers and washed-up musicians to artists, retirees, bikers, and those who stop in simply to see what’s in a name.
    — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Deborah sees Ava as entitled and self-righteous, Ava sees Deborah as washed-up and boring.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Definition of washed-up
Adjective
  • In keeping with the brand’s spirit of generosity, the initial stock of Bali gin and Scotch whisky, beer, soft beverages such as jamu, and locally made artisanal snacks such as Krakakoa Chocolate is gratis.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Roses and a soft orange nod to the way light catches on its facades.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of soft

Browse Nearby Words

overriding
overripe
overrode
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overripe. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All