# ripen

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈɹaɪpən/ · frequency rank #45,055

## Definitions
1. to grow ripe; to become mature (said of grain, fruit, flowers etc.)
2. To approach or come to perfection.
3. To cause (something) to mature; to make ripe
4. To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection

## Etymology
From Middle English *ripenen, extended form of ripen, from Old English rīpian. In the modern form, equivalent to ripe + -en (inchoative and factitive suffix). As in several other verbs, the alteration seems to have occurred during the time when the infinitive and plural ending -en was in the process of being lost (and was thus open to reinterpretation). The earliest attestation is deverbal Middle English ripening (“causing ripeness, ripening”).

## Easily confused with
- **rise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rise)
- **rope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rope)
- **rite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rite)
- **river** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-river)
- **rises** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rises)
- **risen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-risen)
- **ropes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-ropes)
- **rites** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rites)
- **rosen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rosen)
- **Ruben** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-ruben)
- **roper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-roper)
- **rupee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rupee)
- **riser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-riser)
- **Rouen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rouen)
- **riven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-riven)
- **Rogen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rogen)
- **rivet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-rivet)
- **ripon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-ripon)
- **ripped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-ripped)
- **Ripley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ripen-vs-ripley)

## Common misspellings (7)
`irpen`, `riepn`, `ripenn`, `ripne`, `rippen`, `rpien`, `rripen`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ripen