hone in
verb
Bob GreeneLisa Russell
Hone in vs. Home in: Usage Guide
Hone in is commonly used to mean "to move toward or focus attention on an objective," as in "hone in on a solution," but the use is often regarded as an error. The original and recommended phrase is home in, with home meaning "to move to or toward an objective by following a signal or landmark," as in "an arrow homing in on a target" and in the name of the creature known as the homing pigeon. Confusion between the similar-sounding hone and home likely arose because hone is a more familiar verb, and its meanings of "to sharpen or smooth with a whetstone" and "to make more acute, intense, or effective" can seem apt in the context of zeroing in on an objective. Still, careful writers will want to use home in, or zero in, if they want to avoid criticism.
Examples of hone in in a Sentence
Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026
Kim has led the group with discipline, courage, and a sense of duty, all of which were honed in the military as well as on the home front.
—K.h. Koehler, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Summer is a really great time to hone in on those skills.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
Frustrated at the lack of evidence and feeling the heat of the gutter press, their determination to hone in on their sole suspect would be laughable if not for the catastrophic consequences.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
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 9 Jun. 2026.
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