as in sharp
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
the sharpened blade of a lawn mower
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 sharpened
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
One of the joys of Air, down to the breathy purity of its title, is its contempt for design—an easy target, but one for which Kracht has sharpened his blade.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
By the time everything converges, the original opportunity has been diluted by handoffs rather than sharpened through genuine collaboration.
—
Manmit Shrimali,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Becoming a mother has definitely further sharpened that skill.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
29 June 2026
Along with the Multivan underneath it, the California gets a new look, sharpened interface and improved driver-assistance package.
—
New Atlas,
26 June 2026
Dimon has occasionally sharpened his rolling five-year time frame for retirement but not advanced it.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
25 June 2026
Andy Burnham's resounding special election win in Makerfield last week sharpened the focus on Starmer's future.
—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
Living in New York has only sharpened my anxiety about personal safety.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2026
Verb
That gap matters because the science on prevention has sharpened considerably in the past two years.
—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
One of the joys of Air, down to the breathy purity of its title, is its contempt for design—an easy target, but one for which Kracht has sharpened his blade.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
By the time everything converges, the original opportunity has been diluted by handoffs rather than sharpened through genuine collaboration.
—
Manmit Shrimali,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Becoming a mother has definitely further sharpened that skill.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
29 June 2026
Along with the Multivan underneath it, the California gets a new look, sharpened interface and improved driver-assistance package.
—
New Atlas,
26 June 2026
Dimon has occasionally sharpened his rolling five-year time frame for retirement but not advanced it.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
25 June 2026
Andy Burnham's resounding special election win in Makerfield last week sharpened the focus on Starmer's future.
—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
Living in New York has only sharpened my anxiety about personal safety.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpened
Adjective
-
Tourism in Albania has seen a sharp increase in recent years, with people relishing the nation’s vast, undeveloped coastline.
-
Netanyahu, 76, has spent decades mastering political theater, sharp messaging and grand performances.
Verb
-
Oil prices edged lower as traders continued to monitor tanker traffic through the waterway.
-
Fisher chopped on to his leg stump on 0 and Tongue edged to first slip on 0, too.
Adjective
-
Located in Florina, in northwestern Greece, the region lies on a high plateau ringed by jagged peaks, with freshwater lakes below.
-
An important entry to the New Queer Cinema canon, Kar-wai’s drama is passionate, moody, and deeply evocative, tracing the jagged edges of an on-again, off-again romance in seedy 1990s Buenos Aires.
Verb
-
Montgomery then grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Acuña scoring to tie it at 1.
-
Trying to protect a one-run lead, Gregory Soto (4-2) let the first two Reds batters reach safely in the ninth before getting Sal Stewart to ground into a double play.
Verb
-
The bail motion is expected to be filed by the end of the month.
-
Lastly, Salinas had an active warrant against him filed in May for fleeing from police after a hit and run.
Cite this Entry
“Sharpened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpened. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
