Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sharpensStepping into the world of Formula One recently, the scale of precision working alongside some of the absolute greats sharpens you.—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026 Scorpio October 23 – November 21 When depth calls, your focus sharpens naturally.—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026 The fact that fishing nets were found in these same deep-sea survey areas sharpens the urgency of that designation.—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026 That context sharpens what India is doing.—Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 Your intuition sharpens, your vision expands, and suddenly the future feels less abstract and more achievable.—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026 For Tampa, the mere fact that Orlando is viable sharpens the urgency.—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026 European resistance sharpens questions over legitimacy But conversations at Davos and beyond this week also underscored resistance from some European governments, raising questions about the board's legitimacy, leadership structure, and relationship to existing multilateral institutions.—Willem Marx, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026 Using an Electric Knife Sharpener While a whetstone manually sharpens the blade, an electric knife sharpener uses powered abrasive wheels or discs to achieve that goal.—Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 15 Jan. 2026
The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.
—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Nothing grinds my gears like shopping for luxury fashion pieces, only to learn that the fabric is made of cheap material (insert crying emoji).
Both films revolved around Mitchie (Lovato), who hones her vocal talents at the camp alongside the Gray brothers Shane (Joe Jonas), Nate (Nick Jonas), and Jason (Kevin Jonas).
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
To survive a ruthless winnowing—to go from one of about 16,000 high-school quarterbacks each year to one of the 10 good ones in the NFL to one of the three or so each generation who earn the Hall of Fame’s gold jacket—hones certain traits within them and strips others away.