as in cheat
a dishonest person who uses clever means to cheat others out of something of value
carnival sharpers eager to relieve the yokels of their money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sharper
Yet as Russian war atrocities have become more evident, and Ukraine’s need for heavy armor has increased, the lines have grown blurrier and the rhetoric sharper.
—
David E. Sanger, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2022
Both offer blistering acceleration and sharper handling than the standard model.
—Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 19 Feb. 2021
Where Super Mario 64 suffers is in its environmental textures, which don't appear to have been redrawn to look any sharper on higher-resolution screens.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 16 Sep. 2020
Other sharpers were Doc Frame, Major James S. Showers and Colonel Rickett, who ran the Senate Saloon.
—Darryl Levings, kansascity, 26 Jan. 2018
For example, there is the Butch Lewis Act, which has nothing at all to do with boxing but, rather, is a bill to protect private pensions from being looted by corporate sharpers.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 20 Jan. 2018
And the aboveground economy will remain the province of the unindicted sharpers who did such a great job with it in 2008.
—Charles P. Pierce, SI.com, 30 Sep. 2017
The sophomore from Colleyville has been a touch sharper on field goals than Jonathan Song in the fall practices.
—Carlos Mendez, star-telegram, 14 Aug. 2017
David E. Sanger, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2022
Both offer blistering acceleration and sharper handling than the standard model.
—Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 19 Feb. 2021
Where Super Mario 64 suffers is in its environmental textures, which don't appear to have been redrawn to look any sharper on higher-resolution screens.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 16 Sep. 2020
Other sharpers were Doc Frame, Major James S. Showers and Colonel Rickett, who ran the Senate Saloon.
—Darryl Levings, kansascity, 26 Jan. 2018
For example, there is the Butch Lewis Act, which has nothing at all to do with boxing but, rather, is a bill to protect private pensions from being looted by corporate sharpers.
—Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 20 Jan. 2018
And the aboveground economy will remain the province of the unindicted sharpers who did such a great job with it in 2008.
—Charles P. Pierce, SI.com, 30 Sep. 2017
The sophomore from Colleyville has been a touch sharper on field goals than Jonathan Song in the fall practices.
—Carlos Mendez, star-telegram, 14 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharper
Noun
-
Before hiring a company, search its name with words like fraud, cheat and complaints.—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
For Bautista, a true cheat meal would mean going all in on pizza.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Almost all other passengers dine at the Britannia Restaurant, and there’s also a buffet restaurant serving international cuisine, with options for vegans, vegetarians and dairy dodgers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Jan. 2026
-
But my collection intentionally ignored the fraudulent exploits of billionaire heirs, tax dodgers and corporate magnates — defense contracts, government lobbying, bank accounts in Switzerland, shell companies in Panama, citizenship of Antigua and political asylum in London.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Now, Prince George joins them in shark spotting during private holidays in Mustique.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
One of Katy Perry’s two gyrating sharks in fugue state.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
One of my buddies uses a fish skinner on his backstraps to cut away the silverskin, which works well, but requires an extra gadget.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Its residents were the usual suspects—moonshiners, prohibition runners, alligator skinners, and plume hunters, who, at the beginning of the 20th century, were slowly decimating the bird population to support the fashion for exotic feathers in women’s hats.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sharper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharper. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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