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
While Republicans blast Mamdani as the face of socialism, Newsom has been quietly, and at times aggressively, cultivating donors, visiting early-primary states, and sharpening a message aimed at elevating California’s model of governance on the national stage.
—
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
To stand out in a competitive market, consider sharpening your resume to be outcomes-based, building your personal brand on LinkedIn and doing mock interviews, GrowthLoop senior recruiter Kathleen Nolan previously told CNBC Make It.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
This period proved pivotal in sharpening his ability to anticipate emerging risks and how to build solutions that could accurately meet both current customer needs and long-term industry trends.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
After receiving a professional knife-sharpening system as a gift from his father, Shawn, Drake worked on knives belonging to friends and family members and eventually offered his services to the wider community.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Under José Luis Cienfuegos, director since 2023, Valladolid is sharpening its industry use for Spain’s indie sector, serving as a second major fall berth for domestic launches after San Sebastián, while business ramps via Merci, the independent market co-organized with Adicine.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
In Paris, Kering’s new chief executive officer Luca de Meo is going the other way and sharpening the focus, cutting a 4-billion-euro deal to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal while putting a longer timeline on any deal to buy the rest of Valentino.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
That the film introduces the possibility the missile might prove to be a dud further deepens its sense of uncertainty, sharpening the fear and chaos around the decision-making process.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Dressed in a plain baby blue spaghetti-strap top, the 31-year-old is having her glam squad ready her, meticulously curling her waist-length extensions and sharpening her cat-eye eyeliner.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
To stand out in a competitive market, consider sharpening your resume to be outcomes-based, building your personal brand on LinkedIn and doing mock interviews, GrowthLoop senior recruiter Kathleen Nolan previously told CNBC Make It.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
This period proved pivotal in sharpening his ability to anticipate emerging risks and how to build solutions that could accurately meet both current customer needs and long-term industry trends.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
After receiving a professional knife-sharpening system as a gift from his father, Shawn, Drake worked on knives belonging to friends and family members and eventually offered his services to the wider community.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Under José Luis Cienfuegos, director since 2023, Valladolid is sharpening its industry use for Spain’s indie sector, serving as a second major fall berth for domestic launches after San Sebastián, while business ramps via Merci, the independent market co-organized with Adicine.
—Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
In Paris, Kering’s new chief executive officer Luca de Meo is going the other way and sharpening the focus, cutting a 4-billion-euro deal to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal while putting a longer timeline on any deal to buy the rest of Valentino.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
That the film introduces the possibility the missile might prove to be a dud further deepens its sense of uncertainty, sharpening the fear and chaos around the decision-making process.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Dressed in a plain baby blue spaghetti-strap top, the 31-year-old is having her glam squad ready her, meticulously curling her waist-length extensions and sharpening her cat-eye eyeliner.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpening
Verb
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And when daily wear and tear was simulated – through continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, as well as chewing and grinding – the teeth actually had superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared with natural enamel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Nov. 2025
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After more than a decade grinding in the pop machine, something about Zara Larsson finally clicked this summer.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Each prospect will get additional playing time while honing their skills ahead of the 2026 campaign.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
3 Nov. 2025
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Drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson while honing lithe dancing skills and his supple tenor, Usher graduated from opener to solo headliner in 2002 with his 8701 Evolution Tour in support of his third studio album, 8701.—
Gail Mitchell,
Billboard,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sharpening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpening. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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