sharpen
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
-
to make or become sharp or sharper
-
Usual US and Canadian word: sharp. music to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitone
Other Word Forms
- presharpen verb (used with object)
- resharpen verb
- sharpener noun
- unsharpened adjective
- unsharpening adjective
- well-sharpened adjective
Etymology
Origin of sharpen
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; sharp, -en 1
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.
A subsidy can cushion demand and sharpen marketing; it can’t manufacture newborns.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
The difference is that in prediction markets, people are wagering actual money, which tends to sharpen the mind in ways that answering a pollster’s call during dinner does not.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
Republicans held a retreat at Trump’s Doral resort in Florida earlier this week to figure out their policy agenda for the rest of the year and sharpen their message ahead of the midterm elections.
From Slate • Mar. 14, 2026
"If cyber is openly acknowledged as integral to the strike package, it can help sharpen the questions about the laws of armed conflict, proportionality, and what counts as a use of force," she said.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
I know how sunlight can sharpen pains in the head, so I tell her she must go inside.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
