ripen Definition
to become or make something ready to eat or use, especially fruit.
Using ripen: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ripen" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The bananas will ripen in a few days.
Example
The cheese is left to ripen for several months.
Example
The tomatoes were picked green and ripened on the windowsill.
Example
She waited for the fruit to ripen before picking it.
ripen Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with ripen
ripen up
to become mature or ready to use
Example
The grapes will ripen up in a week.
Example
The situation ripened into a full-blown crisis.
Example
After years of experience, she had ripened her judgment.
Summary: ripen in Brief
'Ripen' [ˈraɪpən] means to make something ready to eat or use, especially fruit. It can also refer to the process of becoming mature or ready to use, as in 'The grapes will ripen up in a week.' 'Ripen' can be used in phrases like 'ripen into something,' meaning to develop into something, and 'ripen one's judgment,' meaning to become more mature or experienced in making decisions.