as in inexperienced
lacking in adult experience or maturity
the unripened thoughts of a young writer with limited life experiences
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Recent Examples of unripened
Cottage cheese is a fresh, unripened cheese known for its mild and tangy flavor and distinctive curds.
—
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Benin explains that Drizzle is made with small unripened olives, harvested in the fall before the rainy season in Spain, where the olives are sourced, so there’s minimal water and oil inside.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Equally delicious is her banana cou cou, smashed unripened banana topped with lamb gravy.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The skinny on capers For the uninitiated, capers are the unripened, pea-sized buds of the prickly caper bush, or Capparis spinosa.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
The new Olallieberry Nocino sinks the inky berries in an unripened walnut liqueur with nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
—Becky Duffett, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2023
In addition to being tasty (locals fry the plant’s unripened flower heads in olive oil and garlic, and add them to omelets, meat and chickpea dishes), akkoub is rich in calcium and iron.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2022
Cream cheese is made from cow’s milk and is unripened.
—Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2021
Just place the unripened avocados in a paper bag with a banana or an apple, fold over the top and leave it on the counter.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Mar. 2021
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Benin explains that Drizzle is made with small unripened olives, harvested in the fall before the rainy season in Spain, where the olives are sourced, so there’s minimal water and oil inside.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Equally delicious is her banana cou cou, smashed unripened banana topped with lamb gravy.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The skinny on capers For the uninitiated, capers are the unripened, pea-sized buds of the prickly caper bush, or Capparis spinosa.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
The new Olallieberry Nocino sinks the inky berries in an unripened walnut liqueur with nutmeg, allspice and cloves.
—Becky Duffett, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2023
In addition to being tasty (locals fry the plant’s unripened flower heads in olive oil and garlic, and add them to omelets, meat and chickpea dishes), akkoub is rich in calcium and iron.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2022
Cream cheese is made from cow’s milk and is unripened.
—Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2021
Just place the unripened avocados in a paper bag with a banana or an apple, fold over the top and leave it on the counter.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unripened
Adjective
-
Rolder, an inexperienced but effective linebacker, could be an immediate impact player on special teams.—
Mike Kaye
April 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Too naive, too immature to understand.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The landscaping was sparse and immature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Narrated by Josh Gad, Orangutan introduces us to Indah, an adolescent orangutan preparing to leave her family unit for the first time and venture into the wild.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Recently released from prison, coach Walt Mangian joins a local youth gym to help a ragtag team of adolescent boxers aspiring to a national championship.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, unripe bananas contain more fiber than ripe bananas.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Green mangoes Like green bananas, green (unripe) mangoes offer resistant starch, antioxidants, and significantly less sugar than their ripe, orange counterparts.—
Dr. Steven Gundry,
CNBC,
21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the worst things that can happen to a young and evidently talented author is to be lauded too enthusiastically too soon.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Head coach Juan Carlos Amoros has leaned heavily on younger players to start the season, such as rookies Jordynn Dudley and Andrea Kitahata.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unripened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unripened. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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