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
Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
The noncomedogenic formula retains face oil’s nourishing benefits while honing in on calming, clarifying, and evening.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2025
Yet somehow, amid all that noise, Wyatt Kaiser can hone in on and pick out Levshunov’s voice, like Superman zeroing in on a Lois Lane distress call from miles away.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Strong approached Rice and the original creative team for permission, which was quickly granted, before honing in on his version of Chess, which heightens the politics of the era, and introduces a narrator to guide the audience through the plot.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2025.
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