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
He was given the tools, but has also worked hard to sharpen them.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
That debate is sharpening this week as Cheng Li-wun, the firebrand chair of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, or KMT, heads to China on a six-day trip that could include a landmark meeting with leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Instead of viewing constraints as blockers (budget, time, market conditions), treat them as forcing functions that sharpen decision-making.
—Lisa Song Sutton, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
South Stack Studios will present a masterclass examining how filmmakers can sharpen and communicate their creative vision across the range of materials — pitches, loglines, decks — that determine how a project is received in the marketplace.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sharpen
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.
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
That debate is sharpening this week as Cheng Li-wun, the firebrand chair of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, or KMT, heads to China on a six-day trip that could include a landmark meeting with leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Instead of viewing constraints as blockers (budget, time, market conditions), treat them as forcing functions that sharpen decision-making.
—Lisa Song Sutton, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
South Stack Studios will present a masterclass examining how filmmakers can sharpen and communicate their creative vision across the range of materials — pitches, loglines, decks — that determine how a project is received in the marketplace.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sharpen
Cite this Entry
“Sharpen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sharpen. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
