What does "razor" mean?
A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
Razor
/ˈɹeɪzə/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
- Grammar: razor is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: blade, edge tool, hatchet, jackknife.
- Useful contrasts: bluntness, complexity, dullness.
- Usage evidence: He shaves with an electric razor every morning.
How to use "razor"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "razor" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "razor" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "razor" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "razor" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "razor" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "blade" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "razor", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A keen-edged knife of peculiar shape, used in shaving the hair from the face or other parts of the body.
- 2 edge tool used in shaving wordnet
- 3 Any tool or instrument designed for shaving.
"These are fellows who shun the three-, four- and five-blade contraptions and canned goops for an older mode of shaving that they insist remains the ideal: a straight razor or a safety razor with a double-edged blade, and a fine English cream lathered and applied with a badger-hair brush."
- 4 The sharp tusk of a wild boar.
- 5 A conceptual device that allows one to shave away unlikely explanations for a phenomenon.
"Occam's razor, Hanlon's razor"
Verb
- 1 To shave with a razor. transitive
"He thought likewise, that what with razoring and tanning, and the change of his clothes, he was not likely to be recognised."
- 2 shave with a razor wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He shaves with an electric razor every morning."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "razor"?
Common synonyms include: blade, edge tool, hatchet, jackknife, parsimony principle, pick.
How do you use "razor" in a sentence?
He shaves with an electric razor every morning.
How do you pronounce "razor"?
Pronounced /ˈɹeɪzə/.
Etymology
From Middle English rasour, from Old French rasour, from raser (“to scrape, to shave”). More at rat. By surface analysis, raze + -or. Displaced the native Old English sċierseax (literally “shaving knife”).