shar
pen
Third Person
sharpens
Present Participle
sharpening
Past Tense
sharpened
Past Participle
sharpened
1
to make an object pointed or sharper
transitive
- Before slicing the vegetables, she took a moment to sharpen the kitchen knife for better precision.
- Before sketching, she sharpened the pencil to create finer lines and details.
- The hunter sharpened the blade of his knife before heading into the woods.
- The gardener sharpened the pruning shears to trim the overgrown branches.
- The barber regularly sharpens the scissors to provide precise haircuts.
Antonyms:
2
to become more pointed or sharper
- Over time, the chef's knife blade began to sharpen with each honing.
- With regular use, the pencil's tip sharpened, ensuring clean and precise lines in the artwork.
- As the grinding stone rotated, the blade gradually sharpened, its edge becoming more defined.
- With exposure to the elements, the rock formations in the canyon sharpened.
- With every stroke of the file, the saw teeth sharpened, making the saw more effective at cutting through wood.
3
to increase the clarity and definition of details in a picture
transitive
- The photographer used post-processing techniques to sharpen the edges and enhance the details of the photograph.
- In the darkroom, the photographer used special techniques to sharpen areas of interest in the black-and-white print.
- The artist utilized high-resolution scanning to preserve and sharpen the fine details of the vintage photograph.
- She carefully sharpened the portrait to highlight the subject's features and bring out the texture of their clothing.
- After adjusting the exposure, she sharpened the image to make the architectural details pop.
Antonyms:
4
to increase the pitch of a note, usually by a semitone
transitive
- The violinist carefully sharpened the notes in the solo passage to add brightness and clarity to the melody.
- The composer used a chromatic scale with many sharpened notes to create a haunting melody.
- When playing a minor scale, the seventh note is often sharpened to create a more dissonant sound.
- The piano tuner sharpened the middle C to ensure the instrument was in perfect pitch.
- The violinist carefully sharpened the note to create a more harmonious sound.
Antonyms:
5
(of sensory and intellectual perception) to enhance or intensify
- As the conversation progressed, his wit and intellect seemed to sharpen.
- As the climber ascended the mountain, her senses sharpened, attuning her to the nuances of the terrain and weather.
- As the competition intensified, his competitive instincts sharpened, driving him to perform at his best.
- As she focused on her breathing, her sense of awareness sharpened.
- With practice, his palate sharpened, discerning subtle flavors and textures in the complex dishes he prepared.
Synonyms:
6
to accentuate certain frequencies or elements in a sound
transitive
- The audio engineer sharpened the vocals in the mix to make the singer's voice stand out against the instrumentation.
- Using equalization, she sharpened the high frequencies in the guitar track.
- The mastering engineer sharpened the overall mix to ensure that each instrument was distinct and well-defined.
- In the live performance, the sound technician sharpened the kick drum to add punch and impact to the rhythm section.
- The producer sharpened the snare drum in the mix to cut through the dense arrangement and provide rhythmic drive.
Antonyms: