verb
sharpen
SHAH-puhn
verb
1
To make something sharp or sharper.
"He sharpened the axe before chopping the wood."
"You can sharpen your focus by removing distractions."
2
To become sharp or sharper.
"Her wit sharpened as she got older."
How to Use Sharpen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make (or become) sharper — literally, like a blade, or figuratively, like a skill or focus.
Common pairings
sharpen a knife
sharpen your skills
sharpen the focus
Word Forms
sharpened past tense, sharpens singular
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Etymology
From Middle English scharpenen, formed from sharp plus the verb-forming suffix -en.