The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - sharp adj.

1) acute, keen; razor-sharp, knife-like, knife-edged, sharpened; pointed, needle-sharp: How do you keep the telescope in sharp focus? You need an extremely sharp knife for boning fish. This pencil isn't sharp enough. 2) abrupt, sudden, precipitous, sheer, vertical, marked: Just round the corner is a sharp dip in the road. There was a sharp rise in prices on the London Stock Exchange today. 3) keen, keen-witted, keen-minded, sharp-witted, shrewd, intelligent, smart, alert, bright, quick, agile, astute, clever, on the qui vive, penetrating, observant: Penny has a very sharp mind and a good eye for detail. 4) caustic, bitter, biting, acrid, hot, spicy, pungent, piquant, tangy, harsh, sour, acid, acidulous, tart: That lemon sorbet is a little too sharp for my taste. 5) acid, acidulous, acerbic, vitriolic, acrimonious, cutting, piquant, biting, bitter, unkind, strict, hurtful, spiteful, virulent, sarcastic, sardonic, trenchant, severe, scathing, malicious, nasty, malignant, venomous, poisonous: How does one escape the sharp comments of the critics? She was unprepared for the sharp exchange between the guests on her chat show. 6) clever, shrewd, artful, crafty, sly, cunning, foxy, calculating, unscrupulous, dishonest, Colloq sneaky, fly: There is evidence that the stock manipulators were engaged in very sharp practice. 7) high-pitched, shrill, penetrating, piercing, strident, harsh, ear-splitting, loud: Jane gave a sharp cry when she felt the ice break under her feet. 8) poignant, severe, cutting, intense, sudden, piercing, extreme, acute, fierce: Complaining of a sharp pain in his chest, he fell down. 9) chic, dapper, spruce, stylish, smart, fashionable, dressy, Colloq snappy, natty, classy, nifty, swell, swanky: If you want to see the latest collection of sharp clothes, go to the disco. --adv. 1) 0 sharply, precisely, exactly, punctually, on the dot, Colloq on the button, US on the nose: Our appointment was for seven o'clock sharp. 1) 1 sharply, suddenly, abruptly: I was pulled up sharp by her mention of the Black Rose. 1) 2 sharply, alertly, attentively, vigilantly, watchfully, carefully: Listen sharp to what I tell you.