sharpened 1 of 2

adjective

as in sharp
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something the sharpened blade of a lawn mower

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sharpened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of sharpen
as in edged
to make sharp or sharper you need to sharpen your penknife's blade frequently in order to be able to whittle properly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sharpened
Verb
The perfume opens with the tartness of fig sharpened by a sprinkle of black pepper. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026 El-Sayed and his allies have sharpened their attacks on Stevens. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Room for Disagreement Hours before Rogers spoke, El-Sayed sharpened his attacks on the Republican during an interview on the sidelines of an event in Kalamazoo, Mich. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The Islamic Republic is executing Iranians in record numbers and has sharpened its tools of repression. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Every molecule Stokes’s team rejected sharpened their eye for the ones that mattered. — Dr. Mario García, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 With its vision sharpened, product proven, team in place, positive cash flow and strategic relationships now established, Popl enters its next stage with momentum and a clear position at the forefront of an emerging market. — Partner Content, Variety, 28 July 2026 Since Nu Jazz’s debut, the band’s attention to dynamics has already sharpened. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 For tactics are not tricks concealed, But wisdom sharpened on the field. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpened
  1. sharp
  2. edged
  3. jagged
  4. ground
  5. filed
Adjective
  • But the culprit behind Seattle’s sharp increase is energy – both gasoline and for the home.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But within the leadership, there are sharp differences over what the endgame should be.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of sharp
Verb
  • Andruw Monasterio hit a ground-rule double to lead off the eighth and scored the go-ahead run on Connor Wong's double-play grounder as the streaking Boston Red Sox edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The chain’s biggest retail and franchising arms reported drops in revenue for fiscal 2025, even as customer visits and units sold edged higher.
    — Claire Zillman, Fortune, 30 July 2026
Definition of edged
Adjective
  • Between them is a round glass table by Courtney Applebaum with three jagged slabs for legs.
    — Genevieve Walker, Architectural Digest, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The flouncy skirts with jagged edges of different lengths brings a touch of whimsy to any look.
    — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of jagged
Verb
  • Typhoon Dolphin moved over Japan's southern remote islands Friday, causing a main airport on Okinawa to close and grounding all flights in and out of the island, while sending hundreds of people to take shelter at evacuation centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Josh Bell walked to leadoff the fourth inning, moved to third base on a single by Royce Lewis and scored when Victor Caratini grounded into a double play to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • After the Kittrells' bankruptcy petition was filed, on November 11, 2024, MKHS Dispensary contracted with a company called A&R Consultants, LLC, to manage the Greenmed operations.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The development is a blow to the states’ lawsuit, which was filed on July 13.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of filed

Browse Nearby Words

sharpen
sharpened
sharpening
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sharpened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpened. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sharpened

Nglish: Translation of sharpened for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All