whet
verb (used with object)
to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction.
whetted
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past participleof whet.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof whet.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
whetverb (used with object)to sharpen (a knife, tool, etc.) by grinding or friction.
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.
Such austerity only whetted my childhood fondness for concoctions that now make me wince: grape soda, root beer, orange Fanta, even a hideous insipid confection known as cream soda.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The swathes of fertile farmland in Sudan, Africa's third-largest country and a potential agricultural breadbasket, have whetted the appetite of the desert Gulf countries across the Red Sea.
From Barron's ● Nov. 21, 2025
Alcaraz fighting back from two sets down - and having saved three championship points - to win a five-setter in over five hours has whetted the appetite for Wimbledon.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2025
If nothing else, this episode whetted the appetite for next week’s return of Maya Rudolph as host.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2024
Far from satisfying him, the sketchy meal only whetted his appetite; moreover, the onion had made his lip smart and burn.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
