sharpness
1
2.9
- noun
- /ˈʃɑːrp.nəs/
- She winced at the sharpness of the vinegar, which was much stronger than she expected.
- acidic sharpness
Examples
-
Yes, salt water, hot salt water with a sharpness to it.
Fiction book (1993) -
Odors had lost their sharpness.
Fiction book (1990) -
This sharpness is needed now more than ever before.
Academic text (2000) -
The wind's sharpness increased the chill.
Fiction book (1996) -
I heard the loud crack and smelled the sharpness of the gunpowder before I felt it.
Fiction book (1993) -
Faul gasped, struck by the sudden sharpness of cold air as she burst from the passageway and onto the beach.
Fiction book (1991) -
It took a conscious effort to inhale its sharpness, yet instead of cursing the cold, I had a thought that maybe the purpose of winter is...
Fiction book (2001) -
He faced east, toward the Bund and the Whangpoo River, and I thought I smelled the river's familiar sharpness, a grimy mix of factory smoke, seaweed, and fish, though the Whangpoo was some ten miles away.
Fiction book (2002) -
The sharpness of the cheese made it an ideal addition to the gourmet recipe.
-
The dish was enhanced by the sharpness of the spices, giving it a lively flavor.
Synonyms
19
5.3
A sharp, strong quality in taste or smell
11
5.9
A strong sharp taste or smell that stays on the tongue
5
2.6
A sharp unpleasant taste found in foods like black coffee
5
3.4
A sour, sharp taste like in lemon or vinegar
2
3.3
A strong sharp smell that makes your eyes water
2
3.5
A strong unpleasant effect that hurts the senses
1
1.2
A sharp, acidic taste like lemon or vinegar
1
7.0
A strong sharp taste or smell that makes your eyes water
1
4.2
A sharp, pleasantly sour taste like lemon, often with a little spice
1
7.5
A small strong taste often from a spice
1
5.6
A sharp, cutting way of speaking that sounds rude
1
8.4
A sharp taste that makes your mouth pucker and feel dry
1
8.2
A strong, sharp taste or smell that is easy to notice
1
8.7
A strong, sharp taste or smell that can be unpleasant for some people
1
7.0
A sharp, spicy taste like pepper that stings the tongue
1
8.1
A strong, bitter smell or taste that burns the nose
1
9.9
A sharp, puckering taste that makes your mouth feel dry, often in tea or wine
1
7.0
A strong, sharp taste or smell you notice quickly
A pleasantly sharp taste that makes food more exciting
Antonyms
How Sharp
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Sharpness comes from an old German word and the English word sharp, which meant 'cutting' or 'keen'. So the sharpness of a taste or smell is like a 'cut' on the tongue—a strong, biting quality.