How to Use sharpen in a Sentence

sharpen

verb
Definition of sharpennext
Synonyms for sharpennext
  • The outlines of the mountains sharpened as we got closer.
  • Meanwhile, both of them could use the courage to sharpen ...
    — Nr Editors, National Review, 1 Dec. 2023
  • The Bills got a scare last week and that should sharpen their focus.
    — Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2023
  • Here's a trio that will sharpen his prep work and lead to better meals in the end.
    — Mark Stock, Men's Health, 1 Nov. 2022
  • The island’s shape sharpened: a thin slice of stone floating like a cataract on the dark iris of the sea.
    — Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
  • Check out how to sharpen a kitchen knife like a pro and where to get the best cutting boards.
    — Abigail Bailey, Good Housekeeping, 4 Nov. 2022
  • Then, lock the tool into a vise or hold it still with a clamp and move a mill file along the edge of the blade to sharpen.
    — Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022
  • The straight-edge blades will require sharpening from time to time.
    — Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2023
  • So is its refusal to sharpen its point to a stinger, to slather the action with a moral or message.
    — Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024
  • No wrist fatigue here, and gone are the days of having to sharpen my knives every week.
    — Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
  • Desire sharpened my senses, made the rest of the world recede.
    — Diana Saverin, Longreads, 25 July 2024
  • Keeping the blade sharpened can also extend the spade’s life.
    — Pamela Porter, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2023
  • Those values sharpen Musk’s role as both a hero and villain for Markey.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Feb. 2023
  • The glowing blooms came into view, their edges sharpened.
    — Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024
  • Each Wednesday, Klink gathers her hatchets and a file and sharpens the blades of her trusty tools.
    — Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 23 Feb. 2023
  • Looney tossed up hook shots and twisting layups, sharpening his footwork on the low post.
    — Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Apr. 2023
  • Keep the mower blades sharp by sharpening them about every eight hours of use.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2023
  • One friend borrowed a knife from the other to sharpen a pencil being used to keep score.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2023
  • In one scene, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a new recruit, goes to the river to find the perfect rock with which to sharpen her sword.
    — Laura Zornosa, Time, 16 Sep. 2022
  • Each recipe helps kids sharpen their math skills, and teaches them life skills like patience.
    — Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023
  • Plan to sharpen gardening tools, such as spades, trowels, and hoes, at least once a year.
    — Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022
  • Red Sox pitchers like Kenley Jansen have had a pitch clock in the spring training bullpen to sharpen their sense of timing.
    — Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023
  • Grab your best vest and tie and sharpen your wit—remember, no man is an island.
    — Marykate Boylan, Town & Country, 25 July 2023
  • And so, everyone’s sharpened those skills quite a bit at rapid adjustment over the past few years.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 24 Sep. 2023
  • The best fillet knives need to be durable, flexible, provide plenty of grip, and be easy to sharpen.
    — Cosmo Genova, Field & Stream, 3 May 2023
  • Five years in Italy sharpened his game, strengthened his resolve, and thickened his skin.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
  • The Native Americans would come and sharpen their axes on the grinding stone.
    — Jessi Virtusio, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023
  • Carbon steel is easy to sharpen, holds an edge well, and is durable, but the blade takes more care because the metal is prone to corrosion.
    — Adrienne Donica, Popular Mechanics, 8 Dec. 2022
  • Russia’s attempt to seize Ukraine by force has sharpened the focus on China’s threats to do the same to Taiwan.
    — Ben Dooley, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Bring your kitchen knives and garden tools, and the Sharp Brothers will put a fierce edge on them, usually in under an hour – a miracle for most sharpening places.
    — John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 15 July 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sharpen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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