as in sharp
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
the sharpened blade of a lawn mower
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sharpened
Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Elliott said that since the office has sharpened its tone, donations have poured in from millions of supporters.
—Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
My human thoughts dimmed, my animal senses sharpened.
—AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
The stalks are drenched in a garlic-and-anchovy vinaigrette sharpened with vinegar and mellowed with extra-virgin olive oil.
—Katie Parla, Saveur, 30 Oct. 2025
Louvet also sharpened his focus further during the pandemic.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Each project has sharpened her skills and given her more confidence to experiment.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
With apologies to Ibsen’s ghost, DaCosta’s tweaks have sharpened its rage.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
These bouts of illness forced him into hours of quiet isolation but also sharpened his resolve and planted a deep seed of empathy.
—Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
His agility had been sharpened, it was said, by the ballet lessons imposed by his coach at Lucchese, Ernő Erbstein—like Weisz, one of the many Hungarian Jews who shaped Italian football between the early 1920s and the imposition of the Nuremberg Laws in 1938.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Elliott said that since the office has sharpened its tone, donations have poured in from millions of supporters.
—Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
My human thoughts dimmed, my animal senses sharpened.
—AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
The stalks are drenched in a garlic-and-anchovy vinaigrette sharpened with vinegar and mellowed with extra-virgin olive oil.
—Katie Parla, Saveur, 30 Oct. 2025
Louvet also sharpened his focus further during the pandemic.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2025
Each project has sharpened her skills and given her more confidence to experiment.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
With apologies to Ibsen’s ghost, DaCosta’s tweaks have sharpened its rage.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
These bouts of illness forced him into hours of quiet isolation but also sharpened his resolve and planted a deep seed of empathy.
—Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpened
Adjective
-
The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The blazer of Middleton’s look included sharp shoulders with sinuous lapels and angular pockets at the waist.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Georgia Murray scored an early goal, while Aviva Olitsky made 20 saves as Bishop Feehan edged Arlington Catholic 1-0 in a Catholic Central League matchup.—
Tyler McManus,
Boston Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Breeze, led by WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers and former Stanford star Cameron Brink, edged the Phantom 69-62.—
Pueng Vongs,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
All were well above the overall 3% of domestic flights nationwide that had been grounded, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Her bond with Simone Biles has been well documented, but Chiles lights up when talking about other unexpected connections that also keep her grounded.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The sheriff’s office has rejected Cal-OSHA’s application of the law, and last summer filed a lawsuit in Yuba Superior Court challenging the subpoenas.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
According to a complaint filed by the DA’s Office in the murder for hire case, Taylor was promised $500 to kill Preston Holmes.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Rose now realizes the smeared, dark, jagged edges are an abstract human.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
All the shadows and jagged angles evoke German Expressionism, distorting Ronnie’s confrontation into something both surreal and terrifyingly recognizable.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sharpened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpened. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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