| Verb | 1. | sharpen - make sharp or sharper; "sharpen the knives"alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" strap - sharpen with a strap; "strap a razor" edge - provide with an edge; "edge a blade" strop - sharpen on a strop; "strop razors" whet - sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone hone - sharpen with a hone; "hone a knife" blunt, dull - make dull or blunt; "Too much cutting dulls the knife's edge" | |
| 2. | sharpen - make sharp or sharper; "We had to sharpen our arguments"compound, deepen, intensify, heighten - make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Potsmokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions" | |
| 3. | sharpen - become sharp or sharper; "The debate sharpened"deepen, intensify - become more intense; "The debate intensified"; "His dislike for raw fish only deepened in Japan" | |
| 4. | sharpen - put (an image) into focus; "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie"adjust, correct, set - alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard; "Adjust the clock, please"; "correct the alignment of the front wheels" refocus - put again into focus or focus more sharply; "refocus the image until it is very sharp" | |
| 5. | sharpen - make (images or sounds) sharp or sharperfocus - cause to converge on or toward a central point; "Focus the light on this image" soften - make (images or sounds) soft or softer | |
| 6. | sharpen - raise the pitch of (musical notes)music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" | |
| 7. | sharpen - give a point to; "The candles are tapered"acuminate - make sharp or acute; taper; make (something) come to a point | |
| 8. | sharpen - make (one's senses) more acute; "This drug will sharpen your vision"compound, deepen, intensify, heighten - make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Potsmokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions" | |