SHARPEN Synonyms: 15 Similar and Opposite Words

sharpen

verb

ˈshär-pən

Definition of sharpen

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

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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 Put the three crises side by side and the picture sharpens further. — Frank Ahrens, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Switzerland could do with sharpening their set-piece routines. — Phil Hay, New York Times, 16 July 2026 Ceviche arrives bright and cold, sharpened by citrus, softened by fresh seafood, and lifted with herbs and heat. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026 Once a major proof appears, mathematicians immediately begin probing it, looking for ways to sharpen the argument or squeeze out slightly stronger bounds. — Sam MacDonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sharpen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpen

Verb

The bones were ground up into bone ash, used as fertilizer, and burned to make bone black, used both as a dye and a filter for cane sugar juice.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026
The performers grind and moan as rain pours from above and a wind machine roars.

— Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026

Definition of grind

Verb

La Roja had been the best team of the World Cup and had done so by remaining faithful to itself and its soccer through technique, ability and skill honed through years and years of doing the same thing better than anyone else.

— Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
One of the marvels of this novel is how effortlessly such sentences land, despite being honed to perfection.

— Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of hone

Verb

One section tracks the influence of the Alhambra complex, in Granada, where artists trekked to whet their appetites for the exotic.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
Ahead of the show’s release, FX has planned ice cream trucks themed to each previous season at San Diego Comic-Con to whet fans’ appetite.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 July 2026

Definition of whet

Browse Nearby Words

sharped

sharpen

sharpened

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“Sharpen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpen. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of sharpen

verb

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