Synonyms of sharpen

sharpen

verb

ˈshär-pən 

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

• grind
• hone
• whet
• stone
• edge
• file
• strop

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dull
• blunt
• polish
• round
• smooth
• gloss
• burnish
• buff

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sharpen

Room for Disagreement Hours before Rogers spoke, El-Sayed sharpened his attacks on the Republican during an interview on the sidelines of an event in Kalamazoo, Mich. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026

More than 70 years later, designers are sharpening it once again. — Georgia Brown, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2026

Active caregiving fundamentally transforms men into better leaders by sharpening skills like empathy and emotional intelligence. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

If Washington can sharpen its demands and communicate them consistently, both sides will be better able to focus negotiations and develop more viable plans for implementation—leading to a more durable agreement. — Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026