sharpen vs subtilize

sharpen and subtilize both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
sharpen	No	No	Yes	No
subtilize	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, subtilize is a hyponym of sharpen; that is, subtilize is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than sharpen:

Other hyponyms of sharpen include subtilise.

sharpen (verb)	subtilize (verb)
become sharp or sharper	make more subtle or refined
make crisp or more crisp and precise	make (senses) more keen
raise the pitch of (musical notes)	mark fine distinctions and subtleties, as among words
put (an image) into focus
make (one's senses) more acute
give a point to
make sharp or sharper
make (images or sounds) sharp or sharper