sharpen

verb

sharp·​en ˈshär-pən 

sharpened; sharpening ˈshär-pə-niŋ 

ˈshärp-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make sharp or sharper

especially : hone

intransitive verb

: to become sharp or sharper

sharpener

ˈshär-pə-nər 

ˈshärp-nər

noun

Synonyms of sharpen

• grind
• hone
• whet
• stone

Examples of sharpen in a Sentence

Can you sharpen the image?

The lecture sharpened my understanding of the topic.

The outlines of the mountains sharpened as we got closer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The push to diversify marks a shift in the strategy Doustdar laid out after taking over as CEO last year, when Novo sharpened its focus on its core obesity and diabetes businesses and moved away from expanding into new areas. — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026

According to Disney, the hiring of Anand illustrates that D’Amaro is sharpening the company’s focus on technology as a growth driver. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Someone may challenge your interpretation, and your first instinct could be to sharpen your argument. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Arik compared the process to repeatedly sharpening a pencil until only a tiny IKEA-style pencil remained. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing sharpen

• sharpen up

Rhymes for sharpen

• tarpon
• pilocarpine

Kids Definition

sharpen

verb

sharp·​en ˈshär-pən 

sharpened; sharpening ˈshärp-(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to make or become sharp or sharper

sharpen a pencil

a better lens sharpened the image

pain that suddenly sharpened

2

: improve

sharpen one's skills

sharpener

ˈshärp-(ə-)nər 

noun