as in grinding
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
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Recent Examples of sharpening
Efficiency doesn’t mean cutting corners—just sharpening the blade.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
But events in students’ lifetimes also played a role in sharpening their opinions.
—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
The warehouse’s operator, Lineage Logistics, previously faced federal penalties over ammonia safety in Iowa and a smaller fire in Boyle Heights in 2024, sharpening scrutiny of its handling of hazardous refrigerants.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Morocco has just leapfrogged South Africa in the African Development Bank industrial ranking, sharpening the urgency to cut costs that hollow out factories.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Exercise improves mental health by triggering mood-boosting brain chemicals, easing tension, improving sleep and sharpening focus, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Ambition meets heart as the temperamental Moon in your 10th House of Career conjoins warrior Mars there, sharpening visibility and focus.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
The Go Generation 3 keeps the formula intact while sharpening the parts that mattered most, and it's pitched squarely at festivals, travel, and impromptu social gatherings.
—
New Atlas,
10 June 2026
Over the last few weeks, my cat Pixel has been leaving quite the claw-sharpening impression on the back of the Atlas, which is now covered in many little holes.
—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
But events in students’ lifetimes also played a role in sharpening their opinions.
—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
The warehouse’s operator, Lineage Logistics, previously faced federal penalties over ammonia safety in Iowa and a smaller fire in Boyle Heights in 2024, sharpening scrutiny of its handling of hazardous refrigerants.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Morocco has just leapfrogged South Africa in the African Development Bank industrial ranking, sharpening the urgency to cut costs that hollow out factories.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Exercise improves mental health by triggering mood-boosting brain chemicals, easing tension, improving sleep and sharpening focus, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Ambition meets heart as the temperamental Moon in your 10th House of Career conjoins warrior Mars there, sharpening visibility and focus.
—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
The Go Generation 3 keeps the formula intact while sharpening the parts that mattered most, and it's pitched squarely at festivals, travel, and impromptu social gatherings.
—
New Atlas,
10 June 2026
Over the last few weeks, my cat Pixel has been leaving quite the claw-sharpening impression on the back of the Atlas, which is now covered in many little holes.
—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
-
Yet Marketplace Pulse research shows only 23% of sellers are growing revenue and improving margins at the same time; the rest are either grinding or distressed.
-
The grinding process will leave a large mound of chips mixed with soil that will need to be removed and replaced with topsoil.
Verb
-
Dedicated To Making Gorgeous Things Before launching his eponymous brand Artur spent a decade honing his craft at his family’s leather workshops with his father Oleksandr.
-
Avelar is a part of an extracurricular program run by America SCORES Bay Area, a nonprofit that allows students to learn and play the sport of soccer, as well as honing some of their academic skills through poetry.
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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