as in to grind
to make sharp or sharper you need to sharpen your penknife's blade frequently in order to be able to whittle properly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sharpen Divisions of labor sharpened, with women's work increasingly taking place within the home. Amanda Ruggeri, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 As the novel progresses, this sense of unreality sharpens. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025 Clean the shears before sharpening, and be sure to remove any rust as well. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025 Bubic said his stint in the KC bullpen sharpened his aggressive mentality. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sharpen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpen
Verb
  • Now, Lionel Messi and Miami have ground to make up on their home pitch.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • On TV and in real life, the bastards were grinding us down.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Lessons learned While many countries were hit by U.S. tariffs this month for the first time, China honed its response during previous bouts of the Sino-American trade war.
    Beijing and Washington Bureaus, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Your skills have been honed over years of thinking critically, assessing risks, understanding the subject matter and its hidden problems, and achieving tangible and valuable results.
    Joyce Mazero, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But the slightly slanted exterior architecture is just a way to whet your architectural appetite.
    Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Fans hungry for the start of the Pirates season can whet their appetite with a bevy of new food offerings coming to PNC Park.
    Ryan Deto, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sharpen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpen. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sharpen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!