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 scratching posts are lined with sistal ropes for scratching and sharpening claws while the rest areas are soft and warm, perfect for an afternoon siesta.
—
Christine Persaud, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
October begins with a profound shift in energy as Mercury joins Mars in Scorpio on October 6, sharpening our minds and intensifying our communication.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
That step, Jungen insists, was about control — and about sharpening Zurich’s strategic value for filmmakers and studios.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
The timing coincided with government calls for patriotic displays during independence celebrations, sharpening the contrast between official nationalism and grassroots dissent.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025
Navarro said the plan is to keep the menu evolving and sharpening staff training as the brand opens more Florida locations and eventually restaurants in other states.
—Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
In fact, that 2015 team’s 1-3 start had some sharpening their pitch forks.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
Cudi has continued to refine his repertoire outside of music, sharpening his skills as a director, actor and writer for the silver screen.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
But pushing further comes down to sharpening the signal itself.
—New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025
Christine Persaud, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
October begins with a profound shift in energy as Mercury joins Mars in Scorpio on October 6, sharpening our minds and intensifying our communication.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
That step, Jungen insists, was about control — and about sharpening Zurich’s strategic value for filmmakers and studios.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
The timing coincided with government calls for patriotic displays during independence celebrations, sharpening the contrast between official nationalism and grassroots dissent.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025
Navarro said the plan is to keep the menu evolving and sharpening staff training as the brand opens more Florida locations and eventually restaurants in other states.
—Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
In fact, that 2015 team’s 1-3 start had some sharpening their pitch forks.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
Cudi has continued to refine his repertoire outside of music, sharpening his skills as a director, actor and writer for the silver screen.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 19 Sep. 2025
But pushing further comes down to sharpening the signal itself.
—New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
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The songwriting process for the album’s breakout hit started with the track’s grinding post-chorus breakdown, which Walter had created on a whim.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
1 Oct. 2025
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Stories like these have underscored the human dimension of a grinding war, where soldiers form bonds with animals in the trenches.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sax worked tirelessly on his baseball craft, growing from a 5-foot-3, 105-pound high school freshman into a brick, relentlessly honing his skills and driven by the the fear that his career could be over in a flash.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
28 Sep. 2025
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The senior has been dedicated to the marching band and color guard, a passion that began the summer before her freshman year with countless hours honing her skills and helping both programs achieve success.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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