SHARPEN Synonyms: 15 Similar and Opposite Words

sharpen

verb

ˈshär-pən

Definition of sharpen next

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 December 22 – January 19 By afternoon, your focus sharpens on goals. —

Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026 The commercial logic behind high-resolution restoration has sharpened considerably as streaming platforms have come to depend on catalogue depth. —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026 The declassified materials have sharpened scrutiny of how the 2017 intelligence assessment document was produced in the final weeks of the Obama administration, when senior intelligence officials were shaping conclusions about Russian election interference. —

Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026 This can-do attitude has been driving Krier since her pioneer upbringing in North Dakota — and was sharpened during her career as a Boeing engineer building B-17 and B-29 bombers during World War II. —

Karla Marie Sanford, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sharpen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpen

Verb

Microboone has ground left to cover.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
An assortment of stone tools, including grinding slabs, mullers, pestles, and mortars, suggested that grain was processed on-site.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026