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. Oscar Levant:

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

2. Debasish Mridha, M.D.:

   Great habits sharpen our thoughts and make us great.

3. Lockheed Martin:

   We want to sharpen the industry base, even if we dont buy them in quantity. We want a big idea pipeline, but we have to commit to it.

4. Peter Tuz:

   The fear is that price controls stifle innovation. It hasn't happened yet, they'll have to sharpen their pencils and recalculate what their outlook is for new drugs and whether they're worth still developing.

5. Alexi Pappas:

   In distance running in particular, fitness is like a pencil, you sharpen yourself to a point for the race, called peaking, and it's something you time very carefully with the coach.