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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sharpening
Mantello has chosen to have different actors play the young Biff (Joaquin Consuelos) and the young Happy (Jake Termine), sharpening the contrast between their potential and their fates.
—
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
That debate is sharpening this week as Cheng Li-wun, the firebrand chair of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, or KMT, heads to China on a six-day trip that could include a landmark meeting with leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
After a couple episodes, the colliding storylines deepen and finds Glatzer sharpening his instruments to carve further into the techie culture.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
With even pressure, slowly draw the knife through the sharpening slot from heel to tip, maintaining the same angle parallel to the counter.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Waning support for Israel, and increasingly bipartisan disapproval of the war in Iran, has loomed large over the primary elections, with candidates increasingly spurning the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sharpening their criticism of the country.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Certainly, investors have been sharpening their pitches and cap tables in anticipation of this moment.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Most importantly sharpening the tip of the spear — get the offensive line right.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
That is when boards start re-rating risks, lenders start sharpening pencils and capex slips down the priority list.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
That debate is sharpening this week as Cheng Li-wun, the firebrand chair of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, or KMT, heads to China on a six-day trip that could include a landmark meeting with leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
—Wayne Chang, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
After a couple episodes, the colliding storylines deepen and finds Glatzer sharpening his instruments to carve further into the techie culture.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
With even pressure, slowly draw the knife through the sharpening slot from heel to tip, maintaining the same angle parallel to the counter.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Waning support for Israel, and increasingly bipartisan disapproval of the war in Iran, has loomed large over the primary elections, with candidates increasingly spurning the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sharpening their criticism of the country.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Certainly, investors have been sharpening their pitches and cap tables in anticipation of this moment.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Most importantly sharpening the tip of the spear — get the offensive line right.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
That is when boards start re-rating risks, lenders start sharpening pencils and capex slips down the priority list.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
-
An assortment of stone tools, including grinding slabs, mullers, pestles, and mortars, suggested that grain was processed on-site.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Until then, Kloza expects crude and product prices to keep grinding higher, punctuated by sharp swings on every headline.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The work can also be physically taxing, and staying ahead requires constantly honing your skills.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The hands-on, immersive experience assisted in honing space weather forecasting activities, not only for Artemis 2 but also the future.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
