macerate

American  

[mas-uh-reyt] / ˈmæs əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

macerated, macerating

1. to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid.

2. to soften or decompose (food) by the action of a solvent.

3. to cause to grow thin.

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verb (used without object)

macerated, macerating

1. to undergo maceration.

2. to become thin or emaciated; waste away.

   Synonyms:

   wither, fade, shrivel, shrink

macerate British  

/ ˈmæsəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to soften or separate or be softened or separated as a result of soaking

2. to break up or cause to break up by soaking

   macerated peaches

3. to become or cause to become thin

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Other Word Forms

• macerater noun
• maceration noun
• macerative adjective
• macerator noun
• unmacerated adjective

Etymology

Origin of macerate

1540–50; < Latin mācerātus (past participle of mācerāre to make soft, weaken, steep); -ate ¹

Example Sentences

To start, macerate the tomatoes in sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and cornstarch, then drain the excess juices in a separate bowl.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2022

Jukes used organic apple cider vinegar to macerate fruits and other flavors he routinely identifies in wines.

From Washington Post • Jan. 13, 2022

If you allow the juice to instead macerate with the skins, as you would a red, it picks up an amber tinge and some tannins, depending on how long the maceration lasts.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2020

Others we macerate, often with vanilla or cardamom, but this week it’s been fennel seeds and lemon.

From The Guardian • May 31, 2019

They macerate and digest the leaves, and aid in mixing the decomposed matter with the surface soil.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson