WordLens

ripen

1 of 1verb
/ˈraɪpən/
Forms:ripens,ripening,ripened,ripened
1

to cause natural products to become fully developed

transitive
  • The baker ripened the sourdough starter for several days before using it in the bread recipe.
  • The farmer used ethylene gas to ripen the green tomatoes before selling them.
  • The florist employed a technique to ripen the cut flowers and prolong their vase life.
  • She ripened the avocados by placing them in a paper bag with a ripe apple.
Synonyms: