How does the adjective sharp contrast with its synonyms?
The words acute and keen are common synonyms of sharp. While all three words mean "having or showing alert competence and clear understanding," sharp implies quick perception, clever resourcefulness, or sometimes questionable trickiness.
sharp enough to spot a confidence game
Where would acute be a reasonable alternative to sharp?
The synonyms acute and sharp are sometimes interchangeable, but acute implies a power to penetrate and may suggest subtlety and sharpness of discrimination.
an acute sense of style
When is it sensible to use keen instead of sharp?
The words keen and sharp are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, keen suggests quickness, enthusiasm, and a penetrating mind.
a keen observer of the political scene
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sharp
Adjective
The military said that soldiers had fired because an individual was running toward them with a sharp object.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Oct. 2026 Roller coasters are designed to deliver thrills through sudden drops, sharp turns and rapid changes in speed, but what kinds of injuries can these forces cause?—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2026
Adverb
In this comic from 1950, published by Avon, Custer is sharp-jawed, golden-locked and the last of his men to die.—New York Times,
28 June 2026 Baraka, the sharp-toothed mutant from the games.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
Ratz saw Genthner moving up the right flank with her hand outstretched asking for a lead pass and quickly sent a sharp through ball far up the wing.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026 The lyrics are mostly nonsensical club chatter, but when Scott delivers them with Kesha-worthy sleaze, the attitude is stiletto-sharp.—
Lydia Wei,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Thompson was pretty brave for weaving his fingers with Meg's, considering how long and sharp her stiletto manicure is.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
17 July 2025 The Wolf & Shepherd Crossover Plain Toe Derby Shoes are $87 off and sharp enough for weddings or work trips.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sharp
Thiel was even more pointed about the pope, suggesting Leo’s focus on AI is a distraction from the Catholic Church’s legacy of abuse.
—
Sasha Tuddenham,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2026
Hosted by comedian and cerebral palsy advocate Tina Friml, the ceremony took place at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, combining humor with pointed calls for the film and television industry to invest more in recruiting disabled talent.
This fully electric, ultra-compact quadricycle is designed for short urban trips—like zipping down to the shops in a golf cart, but more stylish—offering a simpler alternative to traditional cars.
—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
15 Oct. 2026
In 2025, The Jay hotel in San Francisco teamed up with The Namesake, transforming a section of The Jay’s stylish Third Floor into an exclusive design studio.
Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.
—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2026
In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
Here are the best, smartest and most revolutionary titles the genre created.
—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
19 Oct. 2026
Apple Turnovers Grandma always appreciated a smart shortcut, and these apple turnovers have that—frozen puff pastry makes the crust on these turnovers quick and easy.
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