1
as in to sharpen
to make sharp or sharper
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction
honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hone
Letourneau honed that narrative approach during his decade-plus as a sportswriter.
—
Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Johannesen added that Americans’ love of cooking, honed during the pandemic, has merged into this moment of at-home entertaining.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The first step in honing this mindset is to figure out your starting point, Chopra says.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
Conveying the Crucifixion and subsequent anguish using only voice provided an opportunity for Pelphrey to hone a new set of skills.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
Johannesen added that Americans’ love of cooking, honed during the pandemic, has merged into this moment of at-home entertaining.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The first step in honing this mindset is to figure out your starting point, Chopra says.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
Conveying the Crucifixion and subsequent anguish using only voice provided an opportunity for Pelphrey to hone a new set of skills.
—Erin Jensen, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
Verb
-
March 21 – April 19 Aries, your focus sharpens around practical moves.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The pope has increasingly sharpened his criticism of war in recent weeks, repeatedly calling for an immediate ceasefire and saying military airstrikes are indiscriminate and should be banned.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And maybe the biggest reason these proposals rub people the wrong way is timing.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Just to rub it in, Horan, now aged 32, has a pub at his home.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Grab your wands and polish your broomsticks, because Hogwarts is calling.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The stage puts a spotlight on smack-talk skills, functioning like a gym where wrestlers work out their character muscles, polish their submission holds and perfect their trash-talking chops in front of a panel of judges.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Attention spans are being sanded down, vocabulary is becoming consumer-friendly.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Then the wood must dry, then be sanded, stained and carved.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By modern standards, nearly everyone on earth lived lives of grinding, unthinkable poverty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Each year, as the weather improves, Russia has moved its grinding war of attrition up a gear.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Herrera filed an appeal Thursday to the Kansas State Supreme Court, according to court documents.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
-
There are currently no criminal allegations against Mortensen, who filed a temporary restraining order against Paul and was granted temporary full custody of their 2-year-old son, Ever.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
