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 opening up of the market to foreign buyers this month should boost activity, but could also sharpen cost-of-living concerns for locals. Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 7 Jan. 2026 Perhaps government bean counters haven’t sharpened their pencils, or maybe there are outstanding bills still to be invoiced. Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 McNaughton’s derivative style sharpens the contrast. Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026 Each visit feels worse than the last, either because things actually are getting worse, or because distance has sharpened my vision. Zach Fisch, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sharpen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpen
Verb
  • And Robbins isn’t alone in translating an early—and humble—grind into success.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Downtown tunnel closures The rail grinding project will also be coordinated with the weekend closures of the Downtown subway tunnel to combine efforts in the area and reduce the impact on riders.
    Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • However, that same delight has turned disorienting for many developers, who are grappling with a sense of loss as skills honed over a lifetime suddenly seem less essential.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Glenn carried himself with the confidence of someone who had honed his coaching craft through lessons learned playing for Bill Parcells and working under Sean Payton and Dan Campbell.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • If that does turn out to be the case, there are plenty of other searches for extraterrestrials—such as NASA’s upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory—that can whet the appetite of those longing for signs of life elsewhere in the cosmos.
    Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
  • It’s definitely whetted my appetite to do a lot more.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sharpen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpen. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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