sharpen

verb

sharp·en | \ˈshär-pən

sharpened; sharpening\ˈshärp-niŋ,

ˈshär-pə- \

Definition of sharpen

transitive verb

: to make sharp or sharper especially : hone

intransitive verb

: to become sharp or sharper

Other Words from sharpen Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about sharpen

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Synonyms & Antonyms for sharpen

Synonyms

edge, grind, hone, stone, strop, whet

Antonyms

blunt, dull

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 rhetoric aside, the reworking of the agreement shows a sharpening focus on labor and a growing reluctance to allow corporations to move jobs easily to foreign countries. — William Mauldin, WSJ, "Bush’s Trade Legacy on the Line as Trump Attempts to Replace Nafta," 5 Dec. 2018 And better for your career to have the sharpening effect kids have on priorities, perspective and time-management. — Carolyn Hax, The Seattle Times, "Her family doesn’t support the idea of her being a single mom," 7 Nov. 2018 Sales teams and trial attorneys could sharpen their arguments through an AI system capable of debating, while researchers and decision-makers could benefit from the pro and con arguments that Debater could generate. — Kevin Kelleher, Fortune, "IBM's Jeopardy-Winning AI Is Now Ready to Debate You," 19 June 2018 As his defensive game sharpened, so did the offensive end. — Matthew Defranks, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Bob Boughner reveals the three Panthers who have surprised him most this season," 22 Mar. 2018 The big problem for Obama going forward doesn't have anything to do with reporters ragging on Tony Rezko, flogging the Austan Goolsbee flap or sharpening their stories in shame after Case in point: Pennsylvania. — Newsweek, "Analysis," 14 Mar. 2018 Competitive edge just might sharpen next election season. — Michael Pincus, Teen Vogue, "Losing in the Midterm Elections Isn’t the End," 9 Nov. 2018 Participants must also sharpen their cold and wet weather survival skills as frequent storms smash into the Southeast Alaskan coast from the Aleutian Islands. — Scott Yorko, Popular Mechanics, "Back to Alaska: How a Legendary Glacier Adventure Almost Died When the World Needed It Most," 12 Sep. 2018 Three-ring binders and sharpened pencils, three-cheese tortellini and shaved Parmesan. — Rebekah Denn, The Seattle Times, "Savoring the school lunch — and the connection of the routine," 5 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sharpen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.