as in flowering
the process of becoming mature
the ripening of a pumpkin can take a whole season
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in growing
to become mature
pears ripening on the tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ripening
Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
Certain Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Enzymes in fruits and vegetables promote chemical reactions, such as ripening.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Keep them away from any fruits and vegetables that naturally emit ethylene, a gas that speeds up ripening of anything in their orbit.
—Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024
Dragon fruit does not continue ripening once it is picked.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
The 2021 growing season was cooler than average with maturation and ripening less harried than usual.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 12 Dec. 2024
Certain Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Enzymes in fruits and vegetables promote chemical reactions, such as ripening.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 10 Dec. 2024
Keep them away from any fruits and vegetables that naturally emit ethylene, a gas that speeds up ripening of anything in their orbit.
—Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024
Dragon fruit does not continue ripening once it is picked.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripening
Noun
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The Kampong in Coconut Grove protects Miami’s oldest royal poinciana, chosen by the Fairchild family, and other majestic poincianas, including some rare yellow flowering cultivars.—
CHRISTINA MAYO,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
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As the heat of summer sets in, many plants take a break from flowering, but these stellar selections continue to bloom all season long.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
Verb
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There’s nothing quite as rewarding in gardening as growing a plant from seed.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Mar. 2025
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Half of your time removing the snow can be spent fighting with the exponentially growing clump of snow on the shovel.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Part of that maturation is figuring out how to negotiate the natural ebb and flow of the game.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
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In turn, Rodriguez is a step or two in experience and in maturation behind Baeza, but closing fast.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
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The Athletic reported on Wednesday that West Ham were progressing in their talks with Potter, with the club later confirming the departure of Julen Lopetegui after six months in charge.—
Stuart James,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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This program, which began in 2022, is designed to rectify historic problems with IDR plans that prevented many borrowers from progressing toward 20- or 25-year loan forgiveness.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The area is often described as one of the country’s largest urban infill projects, and economic development leaders see it as a means of doubling the size of Sacramento’s downtown.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
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At the Haiti Funders Conference on Haiti in Boston on Wednesday evening, several attendees expressed shock at the development.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
Noun
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But Williams will have to put in the time to make gradual, significant growth.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
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Nearly half of South Dakota’s projected inmate population growth can be attributed to a law approved in 2023 that requires some violent offenders to serve the full length of their sentences before parole, according to a report by Arrington Watkins.—
Sarah Raza,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Here, temperature swings between day and night—diurnal variation—can be wide, favoring the evolution of acidity in grapes during cool nights.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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What remain enduringly relevant are the book’s insights into the nature of design innovation, which Jencks described as analogous to biological evolution, a constant flow of emergent, divergent, and convergent streams.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ripening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripening. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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