as in to grow
to become mature
pears ripening on the tree
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Recent Examples of ripen
Copious sunlight illuminates the valley floor fruit, and with the constant cycle of morning fog and cooling influences from the San Pablo Bay, grapes can and do ripen to perfection.
—
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2026
These fruits give off ethylene, a natural ripening hormone.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026
Apples ripen from late summer to early fall, but be sure to check your variety, as dwarf varieties may ripen earlier or later.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
Spring slowly ripened into summer when police got that intriguing, new lead.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ripen
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2026
These fruits give off ethylene, a natural ripening hormone.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026
Apples ripen from late summer to early fall, but be sure to check your variety, as dwarf varieties may ripen earlier or later.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
Spring slowly ripened into summer when police got that intriguing, new lead.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ripen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripen
Verb
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As chips used in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing become more complex, demand has grown for more advanced testing equipment to ensure quality and reliability.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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Al-Maliki ended his second term in 2014 after the Obama administration’s growing frustration with his security blind spots that saw the rise of the Islamic State in the same year across a large swathe of Iraqi and Syrian territory.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Player Projects require Raiders to go out into the various maps and find loot, which must then be committed in order to progress and earn rewards.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Have things progressed to the point of having regular kombucha or kvass infusions?—
Alyssa Brandt,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ripen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripen. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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