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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Recent Examples of sharpening
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
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, 9 June 2026
An appetite for playing too many games on home soil instead of sharpening resolve in hostile foreign venues.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 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
To see her teammates Jordan Woolery keep flaunting her flashy slash line and Taylor Tinsley sharpening her wicked arsenal of pitches.
—Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Keep blades in top shape by sharpening twice a year; midsummer and the end of the mowing season are a good rhythm.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
Use a coarse grinder wheel for drill bits with significant wear and tear, or a fine grinder bit for quick sharpening jobs.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 5 June 2026
And while a $3,000 mattress or a 22-step wind-down routine may look like the answer to your sleepless nights, the real answer is likely to be far more accessible, like keeping a consistent sleep-wake schedule and sharpening your sleep hygiene.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 2 June 2026
New Atlas, 10 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, 9 June 2026
An appetite for playing too many games on home soil instead of sharpening resolve in hostile foreign venues.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 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
To see her teammates Jordan Woolery keep flaunting her flashy slash line and Taylor Tinsley sharpening her wicked arsenal of pitches.
—Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Keep blades in top shape by sharpening twice a year; midsummer and the end of the mowing season are a good rhythm.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
Use a coarse grinder wheel for drill bits with significant wear and tear, or a fine grinder bit for quick sharpening jobs.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 5 June 2026
And while a $3,000 mattress or a 22-step wind-down routine may look like the answer to your sleepless nights, the real answer is likely to be far more accessible, like keeping a consistent sleep-wake schedule and sharpening your sleep hygiene.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
-
The boys were grinding today, my goodness.—
Mark Anderson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Antonelli had actually just managed to pass Russell on track on lap 61 before grinding to a halt a lap later.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Google has been honing Adaptive Connectivity for a few generations on the Pixel.—
Florence Ion,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
Tobacco companies spent decades honing marketing strategies, flavor engineering and processing technologies that helped addict consumers to cigarettes.—
Maria Godoy,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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