How does the adjective sharp contrast with its synonyms?
The words acute and keen are common synonyms of sharp. While all three words mean "having or showing alert competence and clear understanding," sharp implies quick perception, clever resourcefulness, or sometimes questionable trickiness.
sharp enough to spot a confidence game
Where would acute be a reasonable alternative to sharp?
The synonyms acute and sharp are sometimes interchangeable, but acute implies a power to penetrate and may suggest subtlety and sharpness of discrimination.
an acute sense of style
When is it sensible to use keen instead of sharp?
The words keen and sharp are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, keen suggests quickness, enthusiasm, and a penetrating mind.
a keen observer of the political scene
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sharp
Adjective
Thus, Johnson used a meeting Thursday night to harp on the need for sharper end-of-half execution.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2026 Mow frequently at the proper height and keep the blades sharp to prevent jagged ends.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Dinosaur fans know that late Cretaceous-era waters were ruled by sharp-toothed sharks and sea reptiles known as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.—CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026 Luke Kennard, who last month was competing for additional bench minutes as a sharp-shooting specialist, recognized the proverbial freedom as well.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Ratz saw Genthner moving up the right flank with her hand outstretched asking for a lead pass and quickly sent a sharp through ball far up the wing.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026 The lyrics are mostly nonsensical club chatter, but when Scott delivers them with Kesha-worthy sleaze, the attitude is stiletto-sharp.—
Lydia Wei,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Thompson was pretty brave for weaving his fingers with Meg's, considering how long and sharp her stiletto manicure is.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
17 July 2025 The Wolf & Shepherd Crossover Plain Toe Derby Shoes are $87 off and sharp enough for weddings or work trips.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sharp
The biggest crowd puller is the famous black cod miso but locals have unofficially crowned the Wagyu beef and foie gras dumplings with spicy ponzu Warsaw’s favorite.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Aug. 2026
With base notes of leather, vanilla, and milky musk, the woody, spicy scent also has hints of bergamot, nutmeg, black tea, and palo santo.
The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.
—
Hannah Giorgis Yohannes,
Vanity Fair,
13 July 2026
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.
This predominantly includes deceptive measures and signal disruptions as responses to intrusive drones.
—
Zita Ballinger Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2026
Warren also raised concerns about X’s banking partner, Cross River Bank, pointing to prior enforcement actions over deceptive loan practices involving the bank’s fintech partners.
So, too, are the smart shops of Andrassy Avenue, a broad boulevard modeled on the Champs-Élysées, the Franz Litzst museum, and the glorious Hungarian State opera house.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Aug. 2026
The film introduces 8-year-old Bonnie’s new smart tablet, Lilypad.
This helps explain why intelligent, experienced leaders can continue producing results while missing the early signs that their judgment, relationships, health, or influence are beginning to slide.
—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2026
Inside the new controller Rather than storing data itself, the MXC chip acts as an intelligent bridge between a server’s processor and external DDR5 memory.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Aug. 2026
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