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.
Instead of directly sharpening focus, the drugs appear to increase engagement with tasks.
From Science Daily
Investors said Nestlé is overdue a shake-up and should also sharpen its governance after two chaotic CEO changes in a year.
Characters who could sharpen the story into something even more emotionally potent are left in the dust as mere stepping stones to propel the film’s central narrative.
From Salon
The label is meant to be provocative, but also to sharpen the conversation.
From Science Daily
Price sensitivity has sharpened, tastes have localized and domestic competitors have learned how to iterate at speed.
From MarketWatch
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.
