sharpened 1 of 2

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
That gap matters because the science on prevention has sharpened considerably in the past two years. Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 One of the joys of Air, down to the breathy purity of its title, is its contempt for design—an easy target, but one for which Kracht has sharpened his blade. Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 By the time everything converges, the original opportunity has been diluted by handoffs rather than sharpened through genuine collaboration. Manmit Shrimali, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Becoming a mother has definitely further sharpened that skill. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026 Along with the Multivan underneath it, the California gets a new look, sharpened interface and improved driver-assistance package. New Atlas, 26 June 2026 Dimon has occasionally sharpened his rolling five-year time frame for retirement but not advanced it. Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 25 June 2026 Andy Burnham's resounding special election win in Makerfield last week sharpened the focus on Starmer's future. Nick Duffy, NBC news, 22 June 2026 Living in New York has only sharpened my anxiety about personal safety. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharpened
Adjective
  • Tourism in Albania has seen a sharp increase in recent years, with people relishing the nation’s vast, undeveloped coastline.
    Zana Cimili, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • Netanyahu, 76, has spent decades mastering political theater, sharp messaging and grand performances.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • In earlier matches Saturday, New Zealand edged France 34-32 in Christchurch, New Zealand and Japan beat Italy 27-10 in Tokyo.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Norway edged possession in the first half and wanted to work wide triangles around Ivory Coast’s 4-1-4-1 block.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • Located in Florina, in northwestern Greece, the region lies on a high plateau ringed by jagged peaks, with freshwater lakes below.
    Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • An important entry to the New Queer Cinema canon, Kar-wai’s drama is passionate, moody, and deeply evocative, tracing the jagged edges of an on-again, off-again romance in seedy 1990s Buenos Aires.
    Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The two daredevils who scaled the spire of the Empire State Building while the world watched have been grounded by the New York Police Department and are now the targets of a criminal investigation.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The Navy had to wait for specialized technicians to arrive or ship massive parts across the globe to repair depots in the US, keeping combat jets grounded.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • In March, the administration filed a new lawsuit again trying to block California’s ability to set stricter-than-federal emissions standards for cars.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Lastly, Salinas had an active warrant against him filed in May for fleeing from police after a hit and run.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sharpened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharpened. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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