Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of whet

81 similar words

Another word for whet is steel. Other synonyms of whet are strop, rouse, animate, awaken and electrify.

Synonyms and similar words for whet

verbTo sharpen (something, such as a knife or sword) by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone...

verbTo make more keen or to stimulate (someone's appetite, interest, etc.); to hone, to sharpen.

  • rouseTo provoke (someone) to react (for example, in anger or annoyance); to spur; also, to annoy, to tease.
  • animateTo give spirit or vigour to; to stimulate or enliven; to inspirit.
  • awaken
  • electrify figurativelyTo strongly excite, especially by something delightful or inspiring; to thrill.
  • enflame figuratively
  • enkindle figurativelyTo kindle; to arouse or evoke.
  • enthrillTo cause to thrill.
  • exciteTo arouse or bring out (e.g. feelings); to stimulate.
  • exhilarateTo excite, to thrill.
  • fillipTo drive as if by a fillip (noun sense 1); to excite, stimulate, whet.
  • fire figurativelyTo inflame; to irritate, as the passions.
  • fire the blood
  • galvanize figurativelyTo shock or stimulate into sudden activity, as if by electric shock.
  • gin upTo stir up, stimulate, enliven, incite.
  • ignite figurativelyTo spark off (something), to trigger.
  • inflame figurativelyTo excite or intensify (a feeling, such as an appetite or passion), especially to an excessive or unnatural level.
  • intoxicate figurativelyTo excite to enthusiasm or madness.
  • kindle figurativelyTo arouse or inspire (a passion, etc).
  • quickenTo put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.
  • send slangTo get one going; move to excitement or rapture; to delight or thrill.
  • set fire to figuratively
  • set on fire figurativelyTo arouse passionate feelings in.
  • sharpen figuratively
  • stir the blood
  • thrill
  • vitaliseTo make more vigorous; to invigorate or stimulate.
  • wakeTo put in motion or action; to arouse; to excite.
  • warm the blood
  • wind upTo excite.
  • work upTo raise; to excite; to stir up.
  • exagitate obsoleteTo excite, stir up.
  • exsuscitate obsoleteTo rouse; to excite.
  • suscitate obsoleteTo rouse; to excite; to call into life and action.
  • yerk Scotland, obsoleteTo rouse or excite.

verbTo inculcate or teach (habits, information, etc.).

  • actuateTo incite to action; to motivate.
  • goose
  • fuel
  • light a fire underTo motivate or encourage (someone) to start sooner or move faster.
  • sting
  • bring aboutTo cause to take place.
  • drawTo attract or provoke (a particular reaction or response) from someone.
  • driveTo motivate; to provide an incentive for.
  • encourageTo mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
  • egg onTo encourage or coax (a person) to do something, especially something foolhardy or reckless.
  • engenderTo bring into existence (a situation, quality, result etc.); to give rise to, cause, create.
  • evokeTo elicit a response.
  • fomentTo incite or cause troublesome acts; to encourage; to instigate.
  • goadTo incite or provoke.
  • impelTo urge a person; to press on; to incite to action or motion via intrinsic motivation.
  • incite
  • induceTo cause, bring about, lead to.
  • instigate
  • invokeTo bring about as an inevitable consequence.
  • lash
  • motiveTo prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
  • motivateTo provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate.
  • obligate
  • oblige
  • pushTo continually attempt to persuade (a person) into a particular course of action.
  • promoteTo encourage, urge or incite.
  • promptTo initiate; to cause or lead to.
  • provokeTo bring about a reaction.
  • set offTo begin; to cause; to initiate.
  • spark offTo initiate something by providing the necessary conditions.
  • spurTo urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object.
  • spur onTo spur or urge (someone) to do something.
  • stimulateTo encourage into action.
  • stirTo incite to action.
  • stir upTo arouse or excite (passion or action, etc.).
  • stoke figuratively
  • temptTo provoke something; to court.
  • urgeTo put mental pressure on; to ply with motives, arguments, persuasion, or importunity.
  • whip upTo arouse or excite.
  • abet obsoleteTo urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable.
  • cheer obsoleteTo encourage to do something.
  • grill Scotland, USTo make angry; provoke; offend, incite.
  • move obsoleteTo incite, urge (someone to do something); to solicit (someone for or of an issue); to make a proposal to.

verbOf a bird: to preen (its feathers).

Meaning of whet

  1. verb To sharpen (something, such as a knife or sword) by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone; to hone.
  2. verb Of an animal such as a boar: to sharpen (its horns, teeth, tusks, etc.) by rubbing on a stone, etc., in preparation for an attack.
  3. verb To make more keen or to stimulate (someone's appetite, interest, etc.); to hone, to sharpen.

Full definition of whet

whet in other languages

Questions about synonyms of whet

What is another word for whet?
Whet has 81 synonyms on Word.ws, such as steel, strop, rouse, animate, awaken, electrify, enflame and enkindle.
What does whet mean?
Whet means to sharpen (something, such as a knife or sword) by rubbing on an object, especially a whetstone; to hone.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: whet (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of whet.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/whet. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.