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
And while the hours and hours of practice certainly honed the sisters’ skills, their parents can’t explain where the girls got their immense physical gifts. Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026 Aron, 37, said students are confused by school policies that simultaneously try to restrict AI use in class and push them to hone their expertise in it. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 28 May 2026 From growing up in the circus to working with Richard Pryor as a film student to preserving music history, the director has honed a distinct corner of cinema. Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 May 2026 Fluid intelligence follows this pattern, too, for anyone interested in honing it. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 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 31 May. 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

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