WHETS Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

whets 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of whet

as in sharpens

to make sharp or sharper whetted the knife with the grindstone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

whets

2 of 2

noun

plural of whet

as in nips

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

nonintoxicants

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 whets

Verb

Like anticipation for an upcoming summer blockbuster movie, the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll whets the appetite for college football fans ahead of the teams returning to the field. — Erick Smith, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 Some of the Summertime launch‘s most delicious harvests have already sold out, so don’t think too long or too hard about it before snagging everything that catches your eye… and whets your appetite. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whets

Verb

That extra size collects far more light, sharpens detail (especially on planets) and gives brighter views of fainter deep sky objects.

— Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
The discovery sharpens that broad history by anchoring a smallpox strain in northern Chile.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 30 July 2026

Definition of sharpens

Noun

As gasoline prices soar and inflation nips at vacation budgets, many travelers may have rethought the prospect of the Great American Road Trip.

— Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
This lens is made up of 20 elements and two mirrors plus a large-diameter aspherical lens that nips distortion and aberration in the bud.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of nips

Noun

The type of helicopter that crashed can carry heavy loads and is commonly used in firefighting operations, with the ability to carry a more than 2,000-gallon tank.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
When temperatures exceed 110°F, passenger planes must consider lightening their loads.

— John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Noun

The bass player plucked each of his instrument’s four strings, one at a time, while turning the corresponding tuning pegs.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
The Zaporizhyan ecclesiastical design belonged to the Middle Dnieper architectural school and was built with wooden pegs instead of nails, using oak from a fortress.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of pegs

Noun

Shields, undefeated at 18-0, is the heavy favorite despite being the challenger against Scott (5-1-1), who secured her belts last December.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Customers can find the bags at Whole Foods' self-checkout, checkout lanes, register belts, product displays and the Whole Body department, according to the Fishwife website.

— Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of belts

Noun

If your garden has been beset by destructive crawling insects like ants, beetles, and slugs, pesticides often seem like the clear solution.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
Baking soda can help prevent powdery mildew, kill weeds, repel slugs, and clean produce, but must be used sparingly.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026