sharp

/ʃɑːp/

//ʃɑːp// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sharp" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sharp” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,136 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,136
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sharp vs star
60% similar
sharp vs ship
60% similar
sharp vs shop
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sharp
PropertyValue
Headwordsharp
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ʃɑːp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,136
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sharp” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sharp lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sharp is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʃɑːp/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,136 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 24 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for sharp, with forms such as "hsarp", "sahrp", and "shapr". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "star", "ship", "shop", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-West Germanic *skarp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-, from *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Cognate with West Frisian skerp, Low German scherp, scharp, schaarp, Dutch sche… The correct English form is sharp, spelled S-H-A-R-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.
  2. 2
    Intelligent.
  3. 3
    Raised by one semitone (denoted by the symbol ♯ after the name of the note).
  4. 4
    Higher in pitch than required.
  5. 5
    Having a strong acrid or acidic taste.
  6. 6
    Sudden, abrupt, intense, rapid.
  7. 7
    Illegal or dishonest.
  8. 8
    Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interests; shrewd, verging on dishonest.
  9. 9
    Exact, precise, accurate; keen.
  10. 10
    Offensive, critical, or acrimonious; stern or harsh.
  11. 11
    Stylish, smart or attractive.
  12. 12
    Observant; alert; acute.
  13. 13
    Quick and alert.
  14. 14
    Strongly distinguishing or differentiating; acute.
  15. 15
    Forming a small or tight angle; especially, forming an angle of less than ninety degrees.
  16. 16
    Steep; precipitous; abrupt.
  17. 17
    Said of as extreme a value as possible.
  18. 18
    Tactical; risky.
  19. 19
    Piercing; keen; severe; painful.
  20. 20
    Eager or keen in pursuit; impatient for gratification.
  21. 21
    Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous.
  22. 22
    Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty.
  23. 23
    Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone; aspirated; unvoiced.
  24. 24
    Hungry.

Etymology

From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-West Germanic *skarp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-, from *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Cognate with West Frisian skerp, Low German scherp, scharp, schaarp, Dutch scherp, German scharf, Danish skarp. Compare Irish cearb (“keen; cutting”), Latin acerbus (“tart, bitter”), Tocharian B kärpye (“rough”), Latvian skârbs (“sharp, rough”), Russian щерба (ščerba, “notch”), Polish szczerba (“gap, dent, jag, chip, nick, notch”), Albanian harb (“rudeness”). More at shear.

Synonyms

keenrazorrazor-sharpbrainybrightintelligentkeensmartwittypointedacridpungentabruptacutestabbingdishonestdodgyillegalillicitunderhandaccurateexactkeenpreciseacrimoniousbittercuttingharshhostilenastychicelegantsmartstylishacutealertkeenobservantsharp-eyed

Antonyms

bluntdulldimdim-wittedslowslow-wittedthickbluntflatflatblandinsipidtastelessdullabove-boardhonestlegitlegitimatereputableinaccurateimprecisecomplimentaryflatteringfriendlykindniceinelegantscruffyshabbyunobservant

This word in other languages

agudo(Español)affilé(Français)scharf(Deutsch)aguçado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hsarp,sahrp,shapr,sharpp,sharrp,shharp,shrap,ssharp

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sharp - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

hsarp2sahrp2shapr2sharpp1sharrp1shharp1shrap2ssharp1
Edit distance from "sharp"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sharp"?
"sharp" is spelled S-H-A-R-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ʃɑːp/.
What does "sharp" mean?
As an adjective, "sharp" means: Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.
What words are commonly confused with "sharp"?
"sharp" is commonly confused with "star", "ship", "shop". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sharp"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sharp" is /ʃɑːp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sharp"?
From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-West Germanic *skarp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-, from *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Cognate with West Frisian skerp, Low German scherp, scharp, schaarp, ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sharp”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-H-A-R-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ʃɑːp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “star” - see the side-by-side comparison. sharp vs star
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list