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
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
In another timeline where none of Puerto Rico’s stars were absent from the tournament, Darell Hernaiz would be in Arizona, sharpening his skills in spring training with the Athletics.
—Maria Torres, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Most major 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidates are sharpening their anti-Trump rhetoric.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
A great deal of time was devoted to getting physically and mentally stronger and sharpening his focus.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
This interesting New York Times piece hones in on a string of recent incidents that is sharpening questions about privacy and accountability in the age of chatbots and AI assistants.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
In Old Sacramento, young chefs in training are sharpening their skills.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
The dynamic Sun steps into your 10th House of Career and Status, sharpening your voice and public presence.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2026
Beyond sharpening elite preparation, Dornstauder says, the same tool should help expand access to wheelchair curling for people with disabilities who face mobility challenges or limited ice availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026
In another timeline where none of Puerto Rico’s stars were absent from the tournament, Darell Hernaiz would be in Arizona, sharpening his skills in spring training with the Athletics.
—Maria Torres, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Most major 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidates are sharpening their anti-Trump rhetoric.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
A great deal of time was devoted to getting physically and mentally stronger and sharpening his focus.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
This interesting New York Times piece hones in on a string of recent incidents that is sharpening questions about privacy and accountability in the age of chatbots and AI assistants.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
In Old Sacramento, young chefs in training are sharpening their skills.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
The dynamic Sun steps into your 10th House of Career and Status, sharpening your voice and public presence.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2026
Beyond sharpening elite preparation, Dornstauder says, the same tool should help expand access to wheelchair curling for people with disabilities who face mobility challenges or limited ice availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
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The Trailblazers were grinding the whole second half, wearing down Harvard-Westlake players as the loud home fans cheered them on.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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And that was one of the goals going into the game — just keep grinding the entire game.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While Sasaki is trying to work through things in live action, including honing a third pitch for his arsenal, there is also the practical matter of making sure Sasaki is built up to start games once the regular season gets underway.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Now girls are logging 30 matches a season, constantly honing their skills and gaining strength – a prerequisite to merely keep pace with their contemporaries.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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