sharpen
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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sharpens,
present (3rd person singular)
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sharpened,
past participle, past
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sharpening
present participle
verb
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to make or become sharp or sharper
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Usual US and Canadian word: sharp. music to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitone
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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sharpenernoun
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resharpenverb
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presharpenverb (used with object)
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unsharpenedadjective
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unsharpeningadjective
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well-sharpenedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sharpensimple
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sharpenssimple
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have sharpenedperfect
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has sharpenedperfect
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am sharpeningprogressive
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are sharpeningprogressive
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is sharpeningprogressive
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have been sharpeningperfect progressive
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has been sharpeningperfect progressive
Past
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sharpenedsimple
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had sharpenedperfect
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was sharpeningprogressive
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were sharpeningprogressive
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had been sharpeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sharpen
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at 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.
See Examples For:
"I've brought over the man who repairs bicycles in Wolvercote, people who repair sewing, people who do computers, who sharpen knives."
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Only months after the attacks, Spike Lee took on 9/11 with a boldness that only 15 years of provocative filmmaking — and a lifetime of loving New York — could sharpen into an artist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
If crooks have access to some of an individual’s personal information, that’s another way to sharpen the hook.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
“We will continue to sharpen our customer focus, strengthen the brand’s cultural relevance, enhance the customer experience across every touchpoint, and build on the momentum already under way,” Francis said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
“Her Grace freed you from your chains. It is for you to sharpen your swords and defend your own freedom when she leaves.”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
President and Chief Executive Clay Gaspar said the deal is the outcome of an ongoing portfolio review and sharpens the company’s focus on its highest-return and longest-duration assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
“It’s the epitome of iron sharpens iron,” Adams said when asked about McDuffie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Their crunch interrupts the softness of the turkey, cheese and sauces; their salt seasons the sandwich; and their pucker sharpens the lemon mayo and smoky-sweet romesco.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
That contrast sharpens Rotterdam's concern about losing energy intensive industry to regions with looser rules and cheaper power.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
I’m sure I said it right, but the butcher sharpens his face, slams down our meat, and motions us away.
From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai
The barb on Mr. King’s hook, sharpened by Mr. Flanagan, is how Carrie’s buoyant expectations, and ours, are so gleefully perforated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Your appetite has been sharpened by sun, distance and swimming, and what you unwrap tastes less like something that survived the journey than something that has been quietly getting ready for you.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
"Competition in the global automotive market has sharpened noticeably," BMW finance boss Walter Mertl said, adding that the company would let an unspecified number of people go to bring costs down.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Recent reporting on the Minneapolis Police Department’s response to the surge has sharpened this point.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Ivy’s tone sharpened, but if Dad noticed, he didn’t say anything about it.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
“I think everyone is sharpening their pencils and wondering what is the impact of this going to be,” Brill said of the spike in yields since August.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
She did this countless times across her decades of unwavering support for the queer community, softening and sharpening her humor according to the severity of whatever topic she waded into.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026
Lamboria credits her ASI coaches for improving his physical strength and a motivational coach and sports psychologist for sharpening her mental game.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“This is a fast-moving space, and we’re sharpening our focus on the initiatives that matter most for customers, so we can move faster on what counts.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The foggy shapes in the Foe-Glass were sharpening, had become more distinct.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
