caramelize
verb
car·a·mel·ize
ˈkär-mə-ˌlīz 
ˈker-ə-mə-,
ˈka-rə-mə-
caramelized; caramelizing
1
transitive
: to subject (sugar or the sugar content of a food) to caramelization : to change into caramel (see caramel sense 1) by heating at high temperature
… flan bathed in caramelized sugar and topped with whipped cream …—
Penelope Casas
Penelope CasasAt a restaurant, some unlucky prep cook gets to peel, slice, and caramelize bags of onions in the morning.—Stephanie Alleyne
Stephanie Alleyne2
intransitive
: to change to caramel
Fructose begins to rapidly caramelize at around 200 degrees …—Matthew Card
: to undergo caramelization
Matthew CardThese sweet potatoes caramelize slightly in the oven, which gives them a sweet crunch as their flesh remains creamy.—Lesley Porcelli
Lesley PorcelliExamples of caramelize in a Sentence
The onions will take five minutes to caramelize.
Caramelize two cups of sugar.
Continue stirring until the sugar caramelizes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Each bite is sweet, sticky, and ever so slightly caramelized on the edges.
—Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 26 May 2025
These included cultured cheese and za’atar; potato and brown butter; mushroom, caramelized onion and truffle; spinach and cheese, plus carrots and hot honey, which is an occasional special.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
When grilling the chicken, the sweetness of the tomato paste will caramelize quickly.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 May 2025
The spot focuses on top-quality burgers served on soft brioche buns with toppings including bacon, cheese and caramelized onions.
—Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for caramelize
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.
Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 26 May 2025
These included cultured cheese and za’atar; potato and brown butter; mushroom, caramelized onion and truffle; spinach and cheese, plus carrots and hot honey, which is an occasional special.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
When grilling the chicken, the sweetness of the tomato paste will caramelize quickly.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 May 2025
The spot focuses on top-quality burgers served on soft brioche buns with toppings including bacon, cheese and caramelized onions.
—Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for caramelize
Cite this Entry
“Caramelize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caramelize. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share