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sharply

adverb

Definition of sharplynext
as in neatly
in a strikingly neat and trim manner sharply dressed groomsmen at a formal wedding

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 sharply Prices have surged more than 20% this month as fighting has sharply escalated in the Persian Gulf. — Spencer Kimball,justina Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 The national average for regular gasoline has risen sharply over the past week, while California prices have climbed back to about $6 per gallon, according to AAA. — Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Suzuki saved from Munoz at the back post before diving sharply to his left to stop Xaver Schlager’s header, provided by a Munoz cross. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The three-year pilot sharply reduced possession offenses and police drug seizures, but there was little evidence of broader health benefits. — Karyn Sporer, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026 In recent weeks, new cases and deaths have declined in Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter, but risen sharply in neighboring North Kivu and Haut-Uele, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said at a weekly briefing. — Jean-Yves Kamale, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026 The condo boom — then bust Condos in California really began to boom for the first time in the 1970s, when housing prices began to rise sharply. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt also took to social media to sharply criticize Mamdani’s characterization of 9/11. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2026 Goldman Sachs warned clients on Monday that global food prices are at risk of going sharply higher. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharply
  1. neatly
  2. smartly
  3. carefully
Adverb
  • His punchy, slightly cornball charm, combined with a winning smile that neatly masked his Nixonian ambition, cemented Mulroney’s status as a modern Canadian politician, someone willing to lead the nation through the 1980s into an uncertain future.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • This approach assumes human behaviors fit neatly into predetermined blocks.
    — Pratik Bhadra, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of neatly
Adverb
  • The Gallaghers, known for their love of windbreakers and Fred Perry polos, dressed smartly for the occasion in all black (though still decidedly unfancy, with Liam layering a T-shirt underneath a blazer and Noel wearing a zip-up jacket).
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the game smartly kicks off with a quick rundown of what went down in the first Isolation, narrated by Ripley, who was responsible for the destruction of the infested Sevastopol station.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of smartly
Adverb
  • Reddington also pushed back on one of the prosecution's central arguments that Lindsay Clancy carefully planned the killings by sending Patrick Clancy out on errands.
    — Lorraine Taylor , Bryan Llenas, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Officials tread carefully in regulating car caravans, which can overwhelm traffic and bring streets to a standstill.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of carefully

Browse Nearby Words

sharping
sharply
sharpness
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Cite this Entry

“Sharply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharply. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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