overripen

Pass peak freshness

To overripen is to ripen past the optimal point, becoming too soft, sweet, or spoiled for ideal use.

Fruit left too long on the counter overripens.

The adjective overripe describes this state: overripe bananas, overripe tomatoes.

Figuratively, something overripe has passed its peak or become excessive: The prose style felt overripe and florid.

decay

rot

Organic breakdown process

molder · ferment · deteriorate · perish · compost · fester · breakdown · waste · disintegrate · wilt

maturation

overmature

Past ideal development stage

mellow · yielding · sweetening · pulpy · tender · sagging · wrinkling · senescence · plumpness · fullness

spoilage

rotten

Decomposed or corrupt

  • putridDecomposed and foul-smelling
  • moldyCovered in fungal growth
  • mustyStale from dampness

foul · rank · off · inedible · tainted · ruined · contaminated · unsavory · sour · fermented

Opposites
ripeness state

overripenrot

Organic breakdown process

timing/readiness

overripenunderdevelop

Fail to fully mature

stunt · hold back · preserve

freshness/decay trajectory

overripenstay fresh

preserve · keep · refrigerate

Phrases
Family

overripe, overripens, overripened, overripening

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G