hone

verb

ˈhōn How to pronounce hone (audio)
Definition of honenext
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 Scheft, who grew up in Israel and Denmark and honed his craft across Europe, is best known as the founder of Lehamin Bakery in Tel Aviv and for co-founding Breads Bakery in New York. — Connie Ogle july 17, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026 The approach is honed over time through strategic experimentation, customer feedback and the results of marketing and advertising campaigns. — Andrea Aker, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 The routine tasks that are now being automated by AI were once effective ways for entry-level workers to hone their skills and begin forming workplace relationships. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 17 July 2026 Instead, the signs are revealed in the effortless, subtle habits people who love sailing have honed over years at sea. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
  1. sharpen
  2. rub
  3. polish
  4. sand
  5. grind
  6. file
Verb
  • Now, Porsha is sharpening her knives before going in for the kill, adding a hilarious edge to an already delightfully macabre episode.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • While artists are focusing on sharpening their skills and expanding their reach, their releases are being used to train models that replicate the output of real musicians quicker than performers can safeguard their intellectual property.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2026
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • Edward rubs his lamb with turmeric, Aleppo chile powder, salt and pepper.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • That certainly rubbed some players the wrong way, including McIlroy.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Increasingly, admissions officers will be drawn less to polish and more to originality of perception.
    — Dr. Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Aerie’s loungewear has surprised my mom with its pillowy soft material that looks polished enough to run errands in.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026
Definition of polish
Verb
  • Roughly a month before Kirk’s killing, Twiggs said Robinson asked for a Dremel, a tool used for sanding or grinding, to engrave bullets for an upcoming family hunting trip.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Rather than using a standard stonewash, TacticalGeek says the blade is hand-finished with sanding and polishing steps that refine the surface from coarse to fine, while the groove area uses EDM machining for extra texture and visual depth.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 July 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • The bones were ground up into bone ash, used as fertilizer, and burned to make bone black, used both as a dye and a filter for cane sugar juice.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026
  • The performers grind and moan as rain pours from above and a wind machine roars.
    — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • Serving in the House until 2024, Stacy was unable to file for reelection because of term limits.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • British model Elsie Hewitt, who dated Phillippe from April to July 2017, filed a civil lawsuit against him in September 2017 alleging domestic violence.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 26 July 2026
Definition of file

Browse Nearby Words

honchos
hone
honed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on hone

Nglish: Translation of hone for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kludge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All