ripe

adjective

ˈrīp How to pronounce ripe (audio)
Definition of ripenext
1
as in matured
fully grown or developed a ripe tomato

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stinking
having an unpleasant smell the clothes of the field hands were sweaty and ripe after a hard day's work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ripe The exterior paint color was reportedly inspired by shiny ripe eggplants that Lingenbrink picked up at his local farmers’ market. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2026 Peak season shifts by region, so what is ripe in Georgia in June may not hit stands in Michigan until August. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 Returning favorite scents that are ripe for the upcoming fall season include Cinnamon Pumpkin Pie, Apple Cider Caramel and Pecan Buttercrunch, as well as winter scents like Snickerdoodle and Winter Berry. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 Store bananas at room temperature to ripen, then refrigerate them once ripe to slow browning and extend freshness. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ripe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripe
  1. matured
  2. stinking
  3. mature
  4. foul
  5. strong
  6. rotted
  7. rotten
  8. disgusting
Adjective
  • Think of this as the matured version of the Kool-Aid dip-dye technique.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
Definition of matured
Adjective
  • America’s political landscape has become a stinking mess.
    — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
  • Not the good, high-altitude ozone that shields us from dangerous UV light, but bad ozone, hovering right above ground level — stinking, brownish, grayish photochemical smog.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of stinking
Adjective
  • Then again, even if this is as good or better than Peacemaker, two mature live-action TV shows won’t be enough to revive DC at movie theaters, especially when the next movie coming to the big screen is hardly a family-friendly affair.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • An unknown person has been poisoning mature pine trees at Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village since 2022, with 16 more trees targeted this July and August — a case some suspect involves a wealthy resident trying to improve their view of Lake Tahoe.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of mature
Adjective
  • On the floor were six cots and a couple of mattresses, stained and foul-smelling.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Murakami's lofted his team-leading 26th homer off the left-field foul pole off Williams with one out in the sixth, cutting it to 2-1.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • Reese missed badly on the layup attempt, but her strong play sparked an Atlanta Dream rally before halftime.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, the strongest predictor of a recruiting boom has been a weak economy.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • Inspect fences and perform any repairs or maintenance, such as reinforcing posts or replacing rotted sections.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
  • Many grapes become too rotted and are left to wither away.
    — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of rotted
Adjective
  • Apparently, some bacteria were using oxygen in the tunnel to metabolize sulfur compounds in the water, and that was producing the rotten-egg smell.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Remove any ripe or rotten food where the flies may have laid eggs.
    — Emma Jacobson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotten
Adjective
  • In a series distinguished by copious disgusting battle scenes, Ormund co-stars in one of its very grossest—a gross-on-gross-on-gross flambé—and almost gets in one last barf.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • His central characters can be nasty, disgusting, violent, hysterically cruel, and passionately consumed.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of disgusting

Browse Nearby Words

rip
ripe
ripen
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Cite this Entry

“Ripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripe. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ripe

Nglish: Translation of ripe for Spanish Speakers

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