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” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,136. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,136
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sharp · sharp · English

sharp · rank #3,136 · 8 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #3,136
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH sessions

Nearest frequency peer: sessions (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “sharp”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “sharp” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around sharp (IPA /ʃɑːp/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #3,136 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 24 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how sharp appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I keep my knives sharp so that they don't slip unexpectedly while carving.
  2. Ernest made the pencil too sharp and accidentally stabbed himself with it.

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "sharp", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Simon#3,137Sarah#3,134trick#3,145audio#3,147

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

rescue8 variantschart8 variantspants8 variantsoffices8 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "sharp". Here's where to go from here.

  • "sharp" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "star". View pair
  • 8 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #3,136 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "S" letter cohort. S–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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