whet
verb (used with object)
to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction.
have whetted
-
present perfectof whet.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The swathes of fertile farmland in Sudan, Africa's third-largest country and a potential agricultural breadbasket, have whetted the appetite of the desert Gulf countries across the Red Sea.
From Barron's ● Nov. 21, 2025
George says that England's form in training and a return to Twickenham for the first time since a thunderous 23-22 Six Nations win over Ireland in March have whetted his appetite for the match.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2024
Such prospects have whetted the appetites of not just explorers and entrepreneurs, but also space scientists.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 20, 2023
Although many of the samples are yet to be gathered for a journey to Earth that remains years in the future, those already collected have whetted researchers’ appetite for their return home.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 5, 2023
They have whetted their teeth against the stones, And now they pick the Bishop's bones.
From Harper's Young People, March 2, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly by Various
