Synonyms of sharpening

sharpening

verb

present participle of sharpen

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

• grinding
• honing
• edging
• stropping
• stoning
• whetting
• filing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blunting
• dulling
• polishing
• smoothing
• rounding
• buffing
• burnishing
• glossing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sharpening

Wear Lipstick in Russian Red, sharpening around the mouth with Jones Road The Lip Pencil in Tawny Nude. — Fawnia Soo Hoo, Allure, 5 Oct. 2026

That is not Brutus sharpening his dagger on the Senate steps – that is what good governance looks like, and by any rule of good governance, Goldman Sachs is lucky to have David Solomon continuing at the helm. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

According to Disney, the hiring of Anand illustrates that D’Amaro is sharpening the company’s focus on technology as a growth driver. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Arik compared the process to repeatedly sharpening a pencil until only a tiny IKEA-style pencil remained. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Past a certain point, more preparation buries the message instead of sharpening it. — Lynn Smith, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

The project unfolds amid court orders to add thousands of units on the 388-acre campus, sharpening questions over whether preserving historic buildings outweighs creating far more veteran housing. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Beyond that, sharpening a feel for when the initial danger has diminished should help the quarterback find a little extra time and space to reset and attack. — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

The plant contains mescaline, a psychoactive compound that alters perception and mood, sharpening the senses and amplifying feelings of empathy and connection. — Pardis Mahdavi, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026