Synonyms of sharpened

sharpened 1 of 2

adjective

as in sharp

having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something

the sharpened blade of a lawn mower

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sharp
• cutting
• honed
• edged
• jagged
• ground
• trenchant
• whetted
• keen
• stropped
• edgy
• piercing
• pointed
• stabbing
• knifelike
• scratching
• clawlike
• lacerating
• spiky
• pointy
• daggerlike
• jabbing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blunt
• dull
• smooth
• rounded
• dulled
• blunted
• soft
• obtuse
• level
• flat
• even
• slick

sharpened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of sharpen

as in edged

to make sharp or sharper

you need to sharpen your penknife's blade frequently in order to be able to whittle properly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• edged
• ground
• filed
• whetted
• honed
• stoned
• stropped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blunted
• dulled
• rounded
• polished
• smoothed
• glossed
• burnished
• buffed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sharpened

Verb

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

Israel’s recognition has sharpened that dispute, turning Somaliland’s push for wider recognition into a more consequential challenge to Somalia’s territorial claims. — Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026

And their pitching infrastructure, which originated under current New York Mets president David Stearns and was sharpened under senior vice president and general manager Matt Arnold, continues to be a model for the sport. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Careers were boosted, dark horses gained traction and blades were sharpened. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

But the process sharpened my judgment and deepened my understanding. — Alec Litowitz, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026

But not all paring knives are designed the same, some have longer handles, some have narrow blades, some really can’t be sharpened. — Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026

The show had enough solid substance to merit optimism for its future, but the material has to be sharpened to put Miss Burnett’s talents in high gear and, particularly, to allow regular Harvey Korman full display of his comedy talents. — Hank Grant, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026

Kate, in particular, is not happy that Harry and Meghan's antics are casting a shadow over Prince George's first week at Eton — this was supposed to be a happy, celebratory time, but instead the knives are being sharpened again. — Janelle Ash , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026