look sharp

Idioms  

1. Get moving, be alert, as in The coach told the team they would have to look sharp if they wanted to win. This colloquial expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally meant “to keep a strict watch” but acquired its present sense in the early 1800s.

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Example Sentences

In fact, it specializes in “mid,” or “gourmet cheeseburger,” TV, shows that look sharp, have a great cast, a killer setup…yet still leave you wanting just a bit more.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 30, 2025

Despite, say, the weight of garments covered entirely in crystals, Whitten ensured performers would look sharp on stage.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

"By doing this, as the analysis in the paper predicts, it generates 3D shapes that look sharp and realistic," he says.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024

The Lakers trailed for much of the second half, and Davis didn’t look sharp for much of Game 4 while struggling with an apparent hip injury that required a heating pad on the bench.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2023

A soft glow filled the air with the kind of light that made everything look sharp and clear and close enough to reach out and touch.

From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster