sharpen

[ shahr-puhn ]

See synonyms for sharpen on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with or without object)

to make or become sharp or sharper.

Origin of sharpen

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at sharp, -en¹

Other words from sharpen

sharp·en·er, noun
pre·sharp·en, verb (used with object)
re·sharp·en, verb
un·sharp·ened, adjective
un·sharp·en·ing, adjective
well-sharpened, adjective

Words Nearby sharpen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sharpen in a sentence

Despite a dizzying number of women coming forward against her husband, Camille Cosby refuses to sharpen her blade of vengeance.
Why Didn’t Camille Dump Bill Cosby? | Amanda Marcotte | December 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It took practice for Hayes to sharpen his show, Riding the Midnight Express with Billy Hayes.
The Unbelievable (True) Story of the World’s Most Infamous Hash Smuggler | Marlow Stern | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
And while technology can help sharpen the brain and calm the nerves, true mental health is much more holistic.
10 Best Apps to Train Your Brain | DailyBurn | June 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Our feeble attempts to push back the Grim Reaper only sharpen its cruel bite, not dull it.
The New World of Anti-Aging Dentistry | Kent Sepkowitz | June 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
You live, acquire wisdom, sharpen your own awareness, and pursue your understanding of a good and meaningful life.
He Left Nirvana Because He Had Cooler Things to Do. Like Going to Iraq. | Jacob Siegel | April 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

To do this it is necessary to slightly flatten all the fifths and sharpen the major thirds.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building | George Laing Miller
Mr. Blossom drew a jackknife from his pocket and began leisurely to sharpen a pencil.
Scattergood Baines | Clarence Budington Kelland
Raf faced the misty figure, trying to force his memory to put features there, to sharpen outlines.
Star Born | Andre Norton
His calm, classic features began to whiten (and sharpen) in the frosty moonlight.
Over the Sliprails | Henry Lawson
The subtleties of the trail sharpen both physical and mental sensibility.
Average Jones | Samuel Hopkins Adams

British Dictionary definitions for sharpen

sharpen

/ (ˈʃɑːpən) /

verb

to make or become sharp or sharper
music to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitone: Usual US and Canadian word: sharp

Derived forms of sharpen

sharpener, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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