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Prepositions after adjectives

Sharp in, with, on, for or as?

Sharp combines with different prepositions depending on whether you mean skill, strictness, timing, or comparison.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with sharp?

Use sharp in for skill in a subject, sharp with for strict speech or actions toward someone, and sharp on for exact time. Sharp as is used in comparisons such as sharp as a razor.

She is sharp in negotiations.
He was too sharp with the waiter.
The meeting starts at 9 sharp on Mondays.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
sharp in + field/activity

Showing skill or intelligence

Use sharp in to describe someone who is quick or skilled in an area.

He is sharp in financial analysis.
She remains sharp in debates.
2
sharp with + person

Speaking or behaving strictly

Use sharp with when someone speaks harshly or acts strictly toward another person.

The supervisor was sharp with new employees.
Do not be too sharp with customers.
3
sharp on + time/day

Expressing exact timing

Use sharp after a time expression for exactness. On may introduce a separate day phrase.

The train leaves at 6 sharp on weekdays.
4
sharp as + comparison

Making comparisons

Use sharp as in similes and comparisons.

Her memory is sharp as ever.
The blade is sharp as a knife.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
sharp in
She is sharp in business meetings.
quick-thinking or skilled in a field
sharp with
He was sharp with the children.
harsh or strict toward someone
sharp on
The lecture begins at ten sharp on Fridays.
sharp marks exact time; on introduces the day
sharp for
He is sharp for his age.
mentally quick compared with expectations
sharp as
The image is sharp as glass.
used in comparisons or similes

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Confusing sharp with and sharp in

Sharp with refers to behaviour toward people, while sharp in refers to skill or intelligence.

✕ She is sharp with mathematics. ✓ She is sharp in mathematics.

Treating sharp on as a fixed phrase

In expressions like at nine sharp on Monday, on belongs to the time phrase.

✕ The class starts sharp on. ✓ The class starts at nine sharp on Monday.

Using sharp for strict behaviour

Sharp for usually means mentally quick compared with expectations.

✕ The manager was sharp for the staff. ✓ The manager was sharp with the staff.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is very sharp ___ legal discussions.
2. He was sharp ___ the waiter during dinner.
3. The film starts at eight sharp ___ Saturday.

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Frequently asked questions

What does sharp in mean?

It means intelligent, quick, or skilled in a subject or activity.

Can sharp with sound rude?

Yes. It often suggests harsh or impatient speech toward someone.

Is sharp on a fixed adjective pattern?

Usually no. Sharp refers to exact time, and on introduces an additional time phrase such as a day.

sacred-to-in-by-of, for "sad for" or "sad about"? "safe for", "safe from" or "safe in"? sanguine about, in, of, on or for? "satisfactory to" or "satisfactory for"? satisfied with, of, by, in or on? "satisfying for" or "satisfying to"? scarce in, for, at, on or of? scared of, to, about, for or by? "scary for" or "scary to"? "scathing about", "scathing in" or "scathing of"? "sceptical about" or "sceptical of"?

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