hone

1 of 3

verb (1)

honed; honing
Synonyms of honenext

transitive verb

1
: to sharpen or smooth with a whetstone
2
: to make more acute, intense, or effective : whet
… helped her hone her comic timing …Patricia Bosworth
honer noun

hone

2 of 3

noun

hone

3 of 3

verb (2)

honed; honing

intransitive verb

1
dialect : yearn
often used with for or after
2
dialect : grumble, moan

Synonyms of hone

Examples of hone in a Sentence

Verb (1) honed the knife's blade to razor-like sharpness honed his crossword-puzzle skills by reading the dictionary as though it were a thrilling novel honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
His newfound fame has proven to be a great source of both bemusement and validation for Cowan, who has been honing his craft in the background for years. Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026 Mikel had long been a stellar performer, but Babatunde helped hone her gifts. Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026 Our bodies have been honed over millions of years, stress-tested over millennia in every conceivable way. Zach Przystup, Baltimore Sun, 18 Feb. 2026 Montoya further honed his skills for San Diego Surf Soccer, an elite competitive youth club. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English hān stone; akin to Old Norse hein whetstone, Latin cot-, cos, Sanskrit śiśāti he whets

Verb (2)

Middle French hoigner to grumble

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hone was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

hone

verb
ˈhōn
honed; honing
1
: to sharpen with or as if with a fine abrasive stone
2
: to make more intense or effective
top athletes honing their skills

More from Merriam-Webster on hone

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