Definition of sharpennext
as in to grind
to make sharp or sharper you need to sharpen your penknife's blade frequently in order to be able to whittle properly

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sharpen The senior guard, a three-year starter, loves to develop and sharpen all the parts of his game. Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026 Players can sharpen skills, get stronger or become more familiar with schematics, to be sure. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026 The central bank kept the benchmark interest rate steady in a split 8-1 decision, after raising it to the highest level in 30 years in December, ahead of snap polls that could see Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sharpen her advocacy for monetary easing and fiscal support. Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026 Lam’s expansion of the state security apparatus with broader police authority over legislation and businesses also has sharpened a long-running rivalry with the military, which controls extensive commercial interests, analysts said. Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sharpen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpen
Verb
  • What follows is not a quick montage of temporary setbacks, but a grinding legal odyssey through an all-too-familiar hell determined to make the already-struggling Amanda pay for someone else’s mistake.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
  • After spending much of 2025 locked in a grinding consolidation, PEG has now broken above its bearish trendline, signaling a transition from defense to accumulation.
    Tony Zhang, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Teams would select for accuracy and work harder to hone it.
    Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Learning to Engage McMillon has an almost professorial air that’s articulate, polite and exudes competence — but his skill set was honed by long years of experience.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The sheer audacity of the recent Louvre heist has whetted us readers’ appetites for heist stories—space heists, all the better!
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026
  • The talented chef is planning special menus to whet young appetites during kids’ week.
    Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sharpen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpen. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

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