marinate
verb
mar·i·nate
ˈmer-ə-ˌnāt 
ˈma-rə-
marinated; marinating
: to steep (food such as meat, fish, or vegetables) in a marinade
… fillet of beef, marinated in rice wine with tamarind, cardamom and vegetable pilaf.—
Matthew Fort
Matthew FortThe immense variety of salads, marinated vegetables and beans, frittatas and little tarts that appear on Italian antipasto tables and Spanish tapas bars also provide ideas for this approach.—Susan Jane Cheney
Susan Jane Cheney
often
: to coat or cover (food) with herbs, spices, etc. and let rest before cooking or serving
… a new-fangled brochette of shrimp marinated in spices and skewered with sweet, creamy chunks of date. —William Grimes
William Grimes … herb-marinated cashew cheese served with garnishes like olives, honey and dates. —Florence Fabricant
Florence Fabricant … had the genius idea to fill a tender crust with thinly sliced lemons marinated in sugar. —Monica Micahel Willis
Monica Micahel Willis
: to become marinated
Have rabbit cleaned and cut into small serving pieces. Place in bowl. Pour burgundy over it. Allow to marinate for 6 hours.—Maria Lo Pinto
Maria Lo PintoCeviche, a Peruvian appetizer also popular in the Caribbean and Central America, is prepared by combining bite-size pieces of raw fish with lime or lemon juice and allowing the mixture to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.—Bon Appetit
Bon AppetitExamples of marinate in a Sentence
The recipe says that you should marinate the chicken overnight.
The chicken should be allowed to marinate overnight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dishoom Canary Wharf Overlooking the water, Dishoom Canary Wharf has a fantastic outdoor dining space that serves up exclusive specials like a whole bream marinated twice with tangi chilli and other tandoori flavors.
—Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Plan on marinating the shrimp in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 4 hours.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 12 May 2025
Hernández’s version incorporates bacon and ham, and calls for a mixture of garlic, spices and meat to marinate for a week before being simmered into a hearty, comforting soup.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
How long to marinate chicken: Even 30 minutes of marination can move the needle.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for marinate
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Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Plan on marinating the shrimp in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 4 hours.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 12 May 2025
Hernández’s version incorporates bacon and ham, and calls for a mixture of garlic, spices and meat to marinate for a week before being simmered into a hearty, comforting soup.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 May 2025
How long to marinate chicken: Even 30 minutes of marination can move the needle.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for marinate
Cite this Entry
“Marinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marinate. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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