Synonyms for sharpen
ˈʃɑr pənsharp·en

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:1.0 / 2 votes

1. sharpenverb

   Antonyms:
   blunt

2. sharpenverb

   Antonyms:
   blunt

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:2.5 / 2 votes

1. sharpenverb

   make sharp or sharper

   "sharpen the knives"

   Synonyms:
   focus, focalize, taper, focalise, heighten, point

   Antonyms:
   dull, soften, flatten, blunt, drop

2. sharpenverb

   make crisp or more crisp and precise

   "We had to sharpen our arguments"

   Synonyms:
   focus, focalize, taper, focalise, heighten, point

   Antonyms:
   dull, drop, soften, blunt, flatten

3. sharpenverb

   become sharp or sharper

   "The debate sharpened"

   Synonyms:
   focus, focalize, taper, focalise, heighten, point

   Antonyms:
   soften, blunt, flatten, dull, drop

4. focus, focalize, focalise, sharpenverb

   put (an image) into focus

   "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie"

   Synonyms:
   center, rivet, concentrate, localise, localize, centre, focalise, concentre, taper, point, pore, focalize, focus, heighten, concenter

   Antonyms:
   flatten, dull, blunt, soften, drop

5. sharpenverb

   make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper

   Synonyms:
   focus, focalize, taper, focalise, heighten, point

   Antonyms:
   flatten, soften, drop, dull, blunt

6. sharpenverb

   raise the pitch of (musical notes)

   Synonyms:
   focus, focalize, taper, focalise, heighten, point

   Antonyms:
   soften, drop, flatten, blunt, dull

7. sharpen, taper, pointverb

   give a point to

   "The candles are tapered"

   Synonyms:
   manoeuvre, manoeuver, focus, head, bespeak, indicate, aim, betoken, maneuver, place, taper, luff, designate, guide, repoint, heighten, focalise, direct, channelize, focalize, point, charge, channelise, target, steer, signal, level, orient, show

   Antonyms:
   dull, drop, flatten, blunt, soften

8. sharpen, heightenverb

   make (one's senses) more acute

   "This drug will sharpen your vision"

   Synonyms:
   taper, enhance, compound, rise, focalise, point, heighten, raise, focalize, focus, intensify, deepen

   Antonyms:
   drop, blunt, soften, flatten, dull

Matched Categories

1. • Adjust
   • Change
   • Change Intensity
   • Change Shape
   • Intensify
   • Music

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:2.0 / 1 vote

1. sharpenverb

   Synonyms:
   edge, give an edge to, make keen

2. sharpenverb

   Synonyms:
   make eager

3. sharpenverb

   Synonyms:
   sharp, make shrill

4. sharpenverb

   Synonyms:
   intensify, make more intense

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:2.0 / 2 votes

1. sharpenverb

   Synonyms:
   intensify, aggravate, quicken, hone, grind, point, whet

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:2.0 / 1 vote

1. List of paraphrases for "sharpen":

   refine, fine-tune, whet, hone, refocus

How to pronounce sharpen?

How to say sharpen in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use sharpen in a sentence?

1. Christian Poll:

   (The sculpture) is a symbol of the need to hold on to the climate deal we made in Paris. We need to keep working on climate solutions, sharpen our goals and make more initiatives to convert to sustainable energy.

2. Oscar Levant:

   The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.

3. Michael Connelly:

   That's my job, to forge the blade. To sharpen it. To use it without mercy or conscience. To be the truth in a place where everybody lies.

4. Ungad Chadda:

   It allows us to sharpen our focus.

5. John Gibbs:

   When I got to Stanford, I got to know some conservatives there through the Stanford Review, having actual conservative friends in the flesh — which I didn't have in high school, I just kind of had the reading — made a big difference. Being able to have people I could be friends with who could sharpen me and my conservatism. So yeah, that was it — discovering Thomas Sowell in high school and continuing to build on the ideas at Stanford through the friends that I had.