sharpened

Sharpened is the past participle of the verb sharpen, describing something that has been made sharp or more acute. Literally, it denotes an edge or point that has been ground to a finer angle, as with a knife, blade, tool, or pencil. Figuratively, it can refer to increased acuity or readiness, such as sharpened senses, skills, arguments, or focus.

In practical contexts, a sharpened blade has a thinner edge achieved by removing material to create a nimble cutting edge. Common tools used to sharpen include whetstones, oil or water stones, ceramic stones, honing steels, files, and mechanical grinders. The choice of method depends on the material, desired edge angle, and existing dullness. Pencils are sharpened with a blade or automatic sharpener to produce a pointed tip suitable for writing.

The term is etymologically linked to the verb sharpen, which arises from Old English and other Germanic roots for making something sharp. In modern usage, "sharpened" often appears in product descriptions, manuals, and journalism to indicate that a blade or tool has undergone servicing, or to describe improvements in non-physical domains, such as a sharpened policy, argument, or analysis.

Safety and maintenance notes commonly accompany sharpened edges: handling with care, using appropriate equipment, and regular maintenance to preserve edge geometry and material integrity.

See also: sharpening, whetstone, honing steel, pencil sharpener, edge geometry.