Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense sharpens, present participle sharpening, past tense, past participle sharpened
1. verb
If your senses, understanding, or skills sharpen or are sharpened, you become better at noticing things, thinking, or doing something.
Her gaze sharpened, as if she had seen something unusual. [VERB]
You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: improve, enhance, better, upgrade More Synonyms of sharpen
2. verb
If you sharpen an object, you make its edge very thin or you make its end pointed.
He started to sharpen his knife. [VERB noun]
...sharpened pencils. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: make sharp, hone, whet, grind More Synonyms of sharpen
3. verb
If disagreements or differences between people sharpen, or if they are sharpened, they become bigger or more important.
With urbanisation the antagonism between rich and poor sharpened. [VERB]
This case has sharpened the debate over capital punishment. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: fuel, fire, stir, arouse More Synonyms of sharpen
Phrasal verbs:
See sharpen up
sharpen in British English
(ˈʃɑːpən)
verb
1.
to make or become sharp or sharper
2. music
to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitone
Usual US and Canadian word: sharp
Derived forms
sharpener (ˈsharpener)
noun
sharpen in American English
(ˈʃɑrpən)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
to make or become sharp or sharper
Derived forms
sharpener (ˈsharpener)
noun
Examples of 'sharpen' in a sentence
sharpen
The new moon sharpens your mind so you select winning answers and recognise genuine people.
The Sun (2006)
You also need to sharpen up your balance.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Its satirical edge was sharpened by the deafening volume.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Just listen how he is sharpening the knife for it!
The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales (1812)
It gets the adrenalin going quicker and sharpens the mind.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The moon sharpens your intuition so that you choose winning answers.
The Sun (2012)
The judge was also shown sharpened branches and wood used to torment the youngsters.
The Sun (2010)
England acknowledge the need to sharpen their attacking edge.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The moon sharpens your intuition and you realise whose love is perfect.
The Sun (2012)
It will also sharpen questions over the scale of spending cuts needed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The moon sharpens your intuition and turns what seem to be lucky guesses into winning answers.
The Sun (2010)
It has also sharpened up the driving experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Video: how to sharpen a knife and cut an onion thetimes.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Your ruling planet Mercury sharpens your mind and you see your life in a much clearer light.
The Sun (2008)
Your mentor Mercury sharpens your mind and makes you calm and capable.
The Sun (2013)
Instead of sharpening the edge of competitive avarice, it tended to blunt it.
Peregrine Worsthorne IN DEFENCE OF ARISTOCRACY (2004)
The fittest will survive by sharpening their minds, not their pencils.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I remember my mother standing at the head of the table sharpening her carving knife with a steel.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
The fear and anxiety disappears and your senses sharpen into a knife 's edge with which you take control of yourselfand lunge forward.
Richard Holmes Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War (2006)
In other languages
sharpen
British English: sharpen VERB
senses, understanding If your senses, understanding, or skills sharpen or are sharpened, you become better at noticing things, thinking, or doing something.
Her gaze sharpened, as if she had seen something unusual.
American English: sharpen
Brazilian Portuguese: aguçar
Chinese: 使敏锐
European Spanish: agudizar
French: s'aiguiser
German: sich schärfen
Italian: acuire
Japanese: 鋭くする/鋭くなる
Korean: 예민하게 하다
European Portuguese: aguçar
Latin American Spanish: aguzar
British English: sharpen VERB
pencil If you sharpen an object, you make its edge very thin or you make its end pointed.
He started to sharpen his knife.
American English: sharpen
Brazilian Portuguese: afiar
Chinese: 弄尖
European Spanish: afilar
French: aiguiser
German: schärfen
Italian: affilarecoltello, lama
Japanese: 削る
Korean: 날카롭게 하다
European Portuguese: afiar
Latin American Spanish: afilar
Chinese translation of 'sharpen'
sharpen
(ˈʃɑːpn)
vt
(lit)
[stick, pencil]削尖 (xiāojiān)
[knife]磨快 (mókuài)
(fig)[skill, understanding]磨练(練) (móliàn)
1 (verb)
You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.
Synonyms
improve
He improved their house.
enhance
They want to enhance their reputation abroad.
better
Our parents came here with the hope of bettering themselves.
upgrade
Medical facilities are being reorganized and upgraded.
hone
honing the skills of senior managers
brush up
touch up
ameliorate
Nothing can be done to ameliorate the situation.
polish up
2 (verb)
Definition
to make or become sharp or sharper
He started to sharpen his knife.
Synonyms
make sharp
hone
four grinding wheels for honing fine-edged tools
whet
grind
The tip can be ground to a much sharper edge.
edge
file
strop
put an edge on
3 (verb)
The case has sharpened the debate over capital punishment.
Synonyms
fuel
The economic boom was fuelled by easy credit.
fire
They were fired with an enthusiasm for public speaking.
stir
I was intrigued by him, stirred by his intellect.
arouse
He apologized, saying this subject always aroused him.
excite
I only take on work that excites me.
animate
There was little about the game to animate the crowd.
rouse
He did more to rouse the crowd than anybody else.
quicken
Thank you for quickening my spiritual understanding.
inflame
They hold the rebels responsible for inflaming the villagers.
enliven
Her presence enlivened even the most boring meeting.
inspirit
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ameliorate
Definition
to make (something) better
Nothing can be done to ameliorate the situation.
Synonyms
improve,
better,
benefit,
reform,
advance,
promote,
amend,
elevate,
raise,
mend,
mitigate,
make better,
assuage,
meliorate
in the sense of animate
Definition
to make lively
There was little about the game to animate the crowd.
Synonyms
enliven,
encourage,
excite,
urge,
inspire,
stir,
spark,
move,
fire,
spur,
stimulate,
revive,
activate,
rouse,
prod,
quicken,
incite,
instigate,
kick-start (informal),
impel,
energize,
kindle,
embolden,
liven up,
breathe life into,
invigorate,
gladden,
gee up,
vitalize,
vivify,
inspirit
in the sense of arouse
He apologized, saying this subject always aroused him.
Synonyms
inflame,
move,
warm,
excite,
spur,
provoke,
animate,
prod,
stir up,
agitate,
quicken,
enliven,
goad,
foment
Synonyms of 'sharpen'
sharpen
Explore 'sharpen' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of better
Definition
to improve upon
Our parents came here with the hope of bettering themselves.
Synonyms
improve,
further,
raise,
forward,
reform,
advance,
promote,
correct,
enhance,
upgrade,
amend,
mend,
rectify,
augment,
ameliorate,
meliorate
in the sense of edge
Synonyms
sharpen,
hone,
whet,
strop
in the sense of enhance
Definition
to improve or increase in quality, value, or power
They want to enhance their reputation abroad.
Synonyms
improve,
better,
increase,
raise,
lift,
boost,
add to,
strengthen,
reinforce,
swell,
intensify,
heighten,
elevate,
magnify,
augment,
exalt,
embellish,
ameliorate
in the sense of enliven
Definition
to make lively, cheerful, or bright
Her presence enlivened even the most boring meeting.
Synonyms
cheer up,
excite,
inspire,
cheer,
spark,
enhance,
stimulate,
wake up,
animate,
fire,
rouse,
brighten,
exhilarate,
quicken,
hearten,
perk up,
liven up,
buoy up,
pep up,
invigorate,
gladden,
vitalize,
vivify,
inspirit,
make more exciting,
make more lively
in the sense of excite
Definition
to make (a person) feel so happy that he or she is unable to relax because he or she is looking forward eagerly to something
I only take on work that excites me.
Synonyms
thrill,
inspire,
stir,
stimulate,
provoke,
awaken,
animate,
move,
fire,
rouse,
exhilarate,
agitate,
quicken,
inflame,
enliven,
galvanize,
foment
in the sense of fire
Definition
to arouse to strong emotion
They were fired with an enthusiasm for public speaking.
Synonyms
inspire,
excite,
stir,
stimulate,
motivate,
irritate,
arouse,
awaken,
animate,
rouse,
stir up,
quicken,
inflame,
incite,
electrify,
enliven,
spur on,
galvanize,
inspirit,
impassion
in the sense of grind
Definition
to smooth, sharpen, or polish by friction
The tip can be ground to a much sharper edge.
Synonyms
sharpen,
file,
polish,
sand,
smooth,
whet
in the sense of hone
Definition
to develop and improve (a quality or ability)
honing the skills of senior managers
Synonyms
improve,
better,
polish,
enhance,
upgrade,
refine,
sharpen,
augment,
help
in the sense of hone
Definition
to sharpen (a tool)
four grinding wheels for honing fine-edged tools
Synonyms
sharpen,
point,
grind,
edge,
file,
polish,
whet,
strop
in the sense of inflame
Definition
to make angry or excited
They hold the rebels responsible for inflaming the villagers.
Synonyms
enrage,
stimulate,
provoke,
fire,
heat,
excite,
anger,
arouse,
rouse,
infuriate,
ignite,
incense,
madden,
agitate,
kindle,
rile,
foment,
intoxicate,
make your blood boil,
impassion
Additional synonyms
in the sense of quicken
Definition
to impart to or receive vigour or enthusiasm
Thank you for quickening my spiritual understanding.
Synonyms
stimulate,
inspire,
arouse,
excite,
strengthen,
revive,
refresh,
activate,
animate,
rouse,
incite,
resuscitate,
energize,
revitalize,
kindle,
galvanize,
invigorate,
reinvigorate,
vitalize,
vivify
in the sense of rouse
Definition
to provoke or excite
He did more to rouse the crowd than anybody else.
Synonyms
excite,
move,
arouse,
stir,
disturb,
provoke,
anger,
startle,
animate,
prod,
exhilarate,
get going,
agitate,
inflame,
incite,
whip up,
galvanize,
bestir
in the sense of stir
Definition
to excite or move (someone) emotionally
I was intrigued by him, stirred by his intellect.
Synonyms
stimulate,
move,
excite,
fire,
raise,
touch,
affect,
urge,
inspire,
prompt,
spur,
thrill,
provoke,
arouse,
awaken,
animate,
rouse,
prod,
quicken,
inflame,
incite,
instigate,
electrify,
kindle
in the sense of upgrade
Definition
to raise in value, importance, or esteem
Medical facilities are being reorganized and upgraded.