ripen

verb

ˈrī-pən How to pronounce ripen (audio)
Definition of ripennext
as in to grow
to become mature pears ripening on the tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 ripen By late summer, apples and grapes ripen, and hops are harvested through mid-September. — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026 To ripen a mango more quickly, keep it in a paper bag for a day or two. — Vanessa Caceres, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2026 Figs, unlike bananas, avocados and many stone fruits, do not keep ripening after they’ve been picked. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Table grapevines are not suitable for winemaking due to their lower sugar levels at ripening. — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ripen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ripen
  1. grow
  2. progress
Verb
  • The bank also expects revenue to grow annually through 2028, targeting 5% growth that year compared with 2027, excluding notable items and on a constant currency basis.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The vote, which had been scheduled for last week, was delayed after two days of deliberations because of growing wariness among Egyptians concerned about an intervention in Yemen's long-running conflict.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • Completing the flight test just weeks after a captive-carry event demonstrated how quickly the program progressed through its testing sequence.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As work at the track progressed, one urgent mitigation project upriver lagged.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of progress

Browse Nearby Words

ripe
ripen
ripened
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Cite this Entry

“Ripen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ripen. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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