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sharply.

In a sharp manner, in various senses.

7 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

adv/ˈʃɑɹpli/General-American/ˈʃɑːpli/Received-Pronunciation
  1. In a sharp manner, in various senses. So as to terminate in a sharp point or edge.

    The stick was sharply tapered at one end.
  2. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Rapidly, abruptly.

    When I touched the snake it recoiled sharply.
  3. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Suddenly and intensely like a gasp, but typically as the result of an emotional reaction.

  4. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Precisely, accurately.

    a sharply focused essay
  5. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Quickly and alertly.

    Jones, the centre forward, started the game sharply.
  6. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Of speech, sternly, harshly or critically.

    When I asked her about her husband, she replied sharply that she had not seen him for several months.
  7. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Stylishly, smartly.

    He was sharply dressed in an expensive suit.
  8. In a sharp manner, in various senses. So as to form a sharp, or tight, angle.

    Turn sharply to the right.
  9. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Steeply; precipitously.

    The road descends sharply.
  10. In a sharp manner, in various senses. Piercingly; keenly; severely; painfully.

    His old war wound twinged sharply.
  11. In a sharp manner, in various senses. In an intellectually alert and penetrating manner.

  12. In a sharp manner, in various senses. In a strongly distinguishing or differentiating manner; acutely.

    The wealth of this small country contrasts sharply with that of its neighbours.
Where this word comes from

From Middle English sharply, scharply, from Old English sċearplīċe (“sharply, smartly”), equivalent to sharp + -ly.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.