riper; ripest
1
: fully grown and developed : mature
ripe fruit
ripe wheat
2
: having mature knowledge, understanding, or judgment
3
: of advanced years : late
a ripe old age
4
a
: suitable, appropriate
the time was ripe for the attempt
b
: fully prepared : ready
the colonies were ripe for revolution
5
a
: brought by aging to full flavor or the best state : mellow
ripe cheese
6
: ruddy, plump, or full like ripened fruit
a ripe figure
7
: indecent
ripe language
ripely adverb
ripeness noun

Examples of ripe in a Sentence

The apples are nearly ripe. the clothes of the field hands were sweaty and ripe after a hard day's work
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If the leaf comes out with minimal resistance, the fruit is probably ripe. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 June 2025 This is a fruit ripe for picking and every investor, private-equity firm and sovereign wealth fund looking for a prize asset in the world’s most popular domestic football league has kicked the tyres at Spurs, taken the tour and run the numbers. Matt Slater, New York Times, 22 June 2025 The conditions were ripe for buyers to reemerge, checkbooks in hands, and sellers to negotiate. The New York Times, Oc Register, 16 June 2025 That balance of old and young spirits yields a palate that leads with sweet vanilla and cherry notes and ends with baking spice and ripe apple, a must try for Japanese-whisky fans. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ripe

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English rīpe; akin to Old English rīpan, reopan to reap

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ripe was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Ripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ripe. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

ripe

adjective
riper; ripest
1
: fully grown and developed
a ripe tomato
2
: having mature knowledge, understanding, or judgment
3
: ready entry 1 sense 1
ripe for action
4
: brought to just the right state
ripely adverb
ripeness noun

Legal Definition

ripe

adjective
1
: of, relating to, or being a claim for relief that is ready for judicial resolution because the injury is certain to occur and is not merely hypothetical or speculative compare moot
2
: ready and appropriate for disclosure because reasonably determined to be valid and not required to be kept secret for business reasons
used of corporate information
ripeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ripe

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