sharpen

verb

sharp·​en ˈshär-pən 

sharpened; sharpening ˈshärp-niŋ 

ˈshär-pə-

transitive verb

: to make sharp or sharper

especially : hone

intransitive verb

: to become sharp or sharper

sharpener

ˈshärp-nər 

ˈshär-pə-

noun

Synonyms

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

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

These systems sharpen the planning and development phase, speed up construction and implementation timelines, manage ongoing maintenance and streamline vendor and labor management. —Giuseppe Incitti, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

Pencil Type: There are various types of pencils, including retractable ones and traditional ones that require sharpening. —Iman Balagam, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2024

The Lily of the movie, though, reads older and cooler; the dialogue, sharpened by Hall, is much funnier. —Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024

Companies are engines of ambition — innovating here, expanding there, trying to sharpen a business or break into something new. —Evan Clark, WWD, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing sharpen

• sharpen up

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