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Glite Dictionary
🔪 Able to cut 🧠 Quick to notice 📈 Sudden or steep ⚡ Intense feeling 🔍 Clearly defined 💬 Harsh or biting ♯ Music sign 🔊 High-pitched sound 🎵 Higher in pitch ↩️ Sudden change ⏰ Exactly on time
sharp

sharp

124 2.0
A sudden large change in amount or level
  • adjective
  • /ʃɑrp/
translation icon : brusco
  • A stable growth path also implies an absence of sharp inflationary or deflationary pressures.
  • a sharp decline
  • a sharp turn
  • a sharp increase

Halfway in there is this curve, this really sharp curve, dead man's curve.

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Examples

  • The result was a sharp turnaround on questions of race as well as economic regulation.

    Academic text (2017)

  • After the unexpected news, the company experienced a sharp rise in stock prices.

  • This was mostly caused by a sharp drop in energy exports.

    Patrick Boyle

  • In the next couple of years, you can expect a fairly sharp decline.

    Absolution (2024)

  • The most evident effect of the change is a sharp decline in the value of natural resources.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Any of these would cause huge, sharp spikes in costs.

  • The major cause of the panic was a sharp but temporary downturn in agricultural exports to Britain.

    Academic text (2013)

  • The report showed a sharp increase in sales over the holiday season.

  • There was a sharp turn in the weather, leading to heavy snowfall overnight.

Synonyms

sudden
vssharp
614 1.0

Happening quickly and without warning

adds great intensity or steepness, not only quick timing
steep
vssharp
131 2.5

Having a very sharp slope or almost vertical angle

focuses on suddenness or intensity rather than a physical slope
precipitous
vssharp
6 7.7

A very steep slope like a cliff that is dangerous to climb

means the same steep idea but with less emphasis on extreme danger
abrupt
vssharp
5 4.7

A very steep slope or drop that is often dangerous

is broader and applies to sudden or intense events beyond slopes

Antonyms

gradual
75 3.0

Happening slowly and steadily, not suddenly

gentle
27 1.0

Not steep and rising slowly

Idioms

sharp as a tack
  • Informal
5 6.7

Able to understand new things very quickly

three o'clock sharp
1 1.4

Exactly at three o'clock

a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
  • Informal
9.9

A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful

as sharp as a butter knife
  • Offensive
7.5

Fails to make a strong point because it is dull and weak

as sharp as a razor-blade
5.0

Very clear and exact so there is no doubt

sharp as a bowling ball
  • Offensive
9.3

A person who is not smart and is slow to understand things

Compounds

sharp teeth
14 2.5

Pointed teeth that cut or pierce food, for example in sharks

sharp pain
10 3.3

A sudden strong feeling of hurt in one small part of the body

razor-sharp
8 4.1

Able to cut very easily with a thin hard edge, like a knife

sharp mind
5 3.8

A quick, clear way of thinking that helps solve problems

sharp tongue
4 6.1

A habit of speaking in a harsh, critical way

razor-sharp
3 4.2

Very clear and exact so you can see every small detail

sharp-eyed
3 4.1

Able to see small things and notice small changes quickly

sharp wit
2 4.1

To make quick, clever, funny comments that amuse people

card sharp
  • Informal
1 9.3

A person who cheats at card games to win money

sharp cookie
  • Informal
1 5.6

A clever person who understands things quickly

sharp end
1 6.0

The pointed, dangerous part of a thing or the most risky part of a situation

sharp suit
1 3.3

A neat, stylish outfit that fits the body well

sharp sting
1 3.2

A sudden, strong, short pain like a small prick

double sharp
  • Specialized
9.1

A sign that tells you to play a note two piano keys higher

sharp end of the stick
7.2

The pointed end of a stick that can cut or poke

sharp-cornered
4.4

A thing with pointed corners like a table or shelf that can hurt you

sharp joke
3.4

A clever joke that can sting someone's feelings

sharp riposte
8.2

A quick clever reply that answers an insult or criticism

sharp-eared
4.9

Able to hear very quiet sounds

sharp-edged comment
  • Offensive
6.6

A remark that is harsh and meant to hurt someone's feelings

sharp-elbowed
8.1

Someone who acts in a pushy way to get ahead and promote their own interests

sharp-nosed
4.7

With a pointed nose or front, for example a plane

sharp-sightedness
6.6

The ability to see small details clearly with the eyes

sharp-sightedness
6.8

The ability to notice small details by paying attention

sharp-toothed
4.0

Having sharp, pointed teeth like a shark

sharp-worded
7.1

Saying harsh words to criticize someone or something

sharp-sighted
4.6

Able to see small things very clearly

sharp-sighted
5.2

Quick to notice and understand small details

sharp-tailed grouse
  • US
9.5

A large land bird with pointed tail feathers found in western prairies and open forests

sharp-tasting
3.9

A strong, slightly sour taste like in aged cheese or salad dressing

How Sudden

instant
233 2.0
sharp
124 2.0
sudden
614 1.0
noticeable
65 3.2

Surface Forms

sharp positive
sharper comparative
sharpest superlative

Etymology

Sharp comes from the idea of a sudden 'edge' or 'cut', like the edge of a cliff or a knife, so a sharp rise or fall is a quick, steep change.