Antonyms of verb sharpen

3 of 8 senses of sharpen

Sense 1
sharpen -- (make sharp or sharper; "sharpen the knives")
       Antonym of dull (Sense 5)
      => dull, blunt -- (make dull or blunt; "Too much cutting dulls the knife's edge")

Sense 5
sharpen -- (make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper)
       Antonym of soften (Sense 1)
      => soften -- (make (images or sounds) soft or softer)

Sense 6
sharpen -- (raise the pitch of (musical notes))
       Antonym of flatten (Sense 3)
      => flatten, drop -- (lower the pitch of (musical notes))

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb sharpen

8 senses of sharpen

Sense 1
sharpen -- (make sharp or sharper; "sharpen the knives")
       => change, alter, 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")

Sense 2
sharpen -- (make crisp or more crisp and precise; "We had to sharpen our arguments")
       => intensify, compound, heighten, deepen -- (make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions")

Sense 3
sharpen -- (become sharp or sharper; "The debate sharpened")
       => intensify, deepen -- (become more intense; "The debate intensified"; "His dislike for raw fish only deepened in Japan")

Sense 4
focus, focalize, focalise, sharpen -- (put (an image) into focus; "Please focus the image; we cannot enjoy the movie")
       => adjust, set, correct -- (alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard; "Adjust the clock, please"; "correct the alignment of the front wheels")

Sense 5
sharpen -- (make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper)
       => change intensity -- (increase or decrease in intensity)

Sense 6
sharpen -- (raise the pitch of (musical notes))
       => change, alter, 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")

Sense 7
sharpen, taper, point -- (give a point to; "The candles are tapered")
       => change shape, change form, deform -- (assume a different shape or form)

Sense 8
sharpen, heighten -- (make (one's senses) more acute; "This drug will sharpen your vision")
       => intensify, compound, heighten, deepen -- (make more intense, stronger, or more marked; "The efforts were intensified", "Her rudeness intensified his dislike for her"; "Pot smokers claim it heightens their awareness"; "This event only deepened my convictions")

Antonyms of adj sharpened

2 senses of sharpened

Sense 1
sharpened -- (having the point made sharp; "a sharpened pencil")

INDIRECT (VIA pointed) -> pointless, unpointed -- (not having a point especially a sharp point; "my pencils are all pointless")

Sense 2
sharpened -- (made sharp or sharper; "a sharpened knife cuts more cleanly")

INDIRECT (VIA sharp) -> dull -- (not having a sharp edge or point; "the knife was too dull to be of any use")

Similarity of adj sharpened

2 senses of sharpened

Sense 1
sharpened -- (having the point made sharp; "a sharpened pencil")
       => pointed (vs. pointless) -- (having a point)

Sense 2
sharpened -- (made sharp or sharper; "a sharpened knife cuts more cleanly")
       => sharp (vs. dull) -- (having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing; "a sharp knife"; "a pencil with a sharp point")