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
At a restaurant, some unlucky prep cook gets to peel, slice, and caramelize bags of onions in the morning.—Stephanie Alleyne
2
intransitive
: to change to caramel
Fructose begins to rapidly caramelize at around 200 degrees …—Matthew Card
: to undergo caramelization
These sweet potatoes caramelize slightly in the oven, which gives them a sweet crunch as their flesh remains creamy.—Lesley Porcelli
Cite this Entry
“Caramelize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caramelize. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
