v. t. | 1. | To make sharp. |
2. | To make more eager; | |
3. | To make more pungent and intense; | |
4. | (Mus.) To make more tart or acid; to make sour; | |
v. i. | 1. | To grow or become sharp. |
Verb | 1. | sharpen - make sharp or sharper; "sharpen the knives" |
2. | sharpen - make sharp or sharper; "We had to sharpen our arguments" | |
3. | sharpen - become sharp or sharper; "The debate sharpened" | |
4. | sharpen - put (an image) into focus; "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie" | |
5. | sharpen - make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper Antonyms: soften - make (images or sounds) soft or softer | |
6. | sharpen - raise the pitch of (musical notes) | |
7. | sharpen - give a point to; "The candles are tapered" | |
8. | sharpen - make (one's senses) more acute; "This drug will sharpen your vision" Synonyms: heighten |