hone in
verb
George PlimptonBob GreeneLisa Russell
Hone in vs. Home in: Usage Guide
Most usage commentators consider hone in to be a mistake for home in. The use may have arisen from home in by the weakening of the \m\ sound to \n\ or it may have developed simply because of the influence of hone, with perhaps an underlying sense that "honing" figuratively involves a narrowing or sharpening of focus. Whatever the explanation of its origins, it has established itself in American English and has begun to make a few inroads into British English as well. Even so, your use of it especially in writing is likely to be called a mistake. Home in or in figurative use zero in is an easy alternative.
Examples of hone in in a Sentence
Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
Diddy's lawyers hone in on jealousy angle The defense repeatedly sought to paint Ventura Fine as a jealous ex-partner.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 May 2025
But Fielder hones in on the parts of his memoir where Sully buys his first iPod, then begins to name-drop Evanescence; the former gets constant mentions after Sully’s father’s death, and the latter is mentioned more than any other band in the book.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 May 2025
But in the pandemic’s wake, the nonprofit honed in on a years-long goal of expanding and bringing services under one comprehensive roof.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hone in
Cite this Entry
“Hone in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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