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
Leathered and soft-honed finishes will replace ultra-glossy finishes, and natural stone with movement and depth will replace flat, one-dimensional countertop materials. Cori Sears, The Spruce, 30 Jan. 2026 Vickers and her contemporaries have helped people hone their quiet eye in a variety of contexts, mostly sports. Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026 Both honed their chops playing in Havana in their native Cuba before immigrating to the United States and attracting an international audience. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026 After a relatively quiet beginning to the year sitting alone in her tower, just honing her powers — and yes, dancing the night away at the Grammys and making her second Super Bowl appearance — Taylor Swift called upon us to pledge allegiance to her hands, her team and her vibes in 2025. Denise Warner, Billboard, 29 Jan. 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 1 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!