as in neatly
in a strikingly neat and trim manner
sharply dressed groomsmen at a formal wedding
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Recent Examples of sharply
The steep walls of the Stikine canyon dropped sharply below us, revealing a boiling, twisting, narrow river.
—
Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
The three gubernatorial front-runners for California governor offer sharply different futures for state workforce.
—Ruyuan Li. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Stocks pulled back sharply yesterday, pressured by rising oil prices and Treasury yields amid the latest concerns about the Iran war.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 4 June 2026
The president sharply criticizing the Indiana senate for refusing to take up redistricting.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Supply costs have risen sharply in recent years as have fertilizer prices following the war in Iran, according to Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, which represents family farms and pushes for sustainable practices.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Similarly, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the European Union created regulations that sharply reduced its dependence on natural gas in favor of renewable sources.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
The Justice Department has sharply criticized that ruling and vowed to appeal, arguing the court improperly interfered with a legitimate prosecution involving a previously dormant investigation tied to a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2026
The candidates The runoff presents voters with two sharply different political options.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
The three gubernatorial front-runners for California governor offer sharply different futures for state workforce.
—Ruyuan Li. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Stocks pulled back sharply yesterday, pressured by rising oil prices and Treasury yields amid the latest concerns about the Iran war.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 4 June 2026
The president sharply criticizing the Indiana senate for refusing to take up redistricting.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026
Supply costs have risen sharply in recent years as have fertilizer prices following the war in Iran, according to Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, which represents family farms and pushes for sustainable practices.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
Similarly, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the European Union created regulations that sharply reduced its dependence on natural gas in favor of renewable sources.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
The Justice Department has sharply criticized that ruling and vowed to appeal, arguing the court improperly interfered with a legitimate prosecution involving a previously dormant investigation tied to a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2026
The candidates The runoff presents voters with two sharply different political options.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharply
Adverb
-
Hazelnut brioches, flaky pastries, blueberry financiers, and madeleines—crafted by the French pastry chef—are neatly stacked in a room adorned with hot pink and coral Bill Bensley artwork.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Then, after banking as neatly as a flight of fighter planes, the flock of 20 mallards splashed down just out of range of our shotguns.—
Anton Money,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Adverb
-
The production’s hallmarks are the acting performances that are mostly quite strong, along with some scintillating technical aspects that affirm the show’s dystopian aims, unified smartly by Lisa Mallette’s active direction.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
But the players’ proposal smartly attacks the issue from the other direction.—
Dan Zaksheske,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Adverb
-
In reality, every burn is carefully planned by fire departments.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
That, Shelton said, was expected with Prielipp’s workload pre-planned to be around 75 or 80 pitches as the Twins carefully monitor his workload.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharply.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharply. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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