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.
The latest move would allow the company to further sharpen its focus on higher‑growth beauty, personal care, and wellness categories.
From Barron's
Buttermilk contributes tang and lift, sharpening the sweetness and helping the cake rise with a lighter hand.
From Salon
Joyce asked, her smile sharpening, narrowing, when Bee still didn’t say anything.
From Literature
“Yes, I can see that, but—” The mother’s eyes sharpened as the girl leapt back over the ditch and held up the filthy prize.
From Literature
A subsidy can cushion demand and sharpen marketing; it can’t manufacture newborns.
From Barron's
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.
