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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rub
to make smooth by friction honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp

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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 But Canales said Sunday provided him and Evans, who has primarily served as a special teams player for Carolina, an opportunity to hone his coverage skills. — Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 Over 18 months, Bormann and Category 5 K9 honed Canyon’s natural skills toward search-and-rescue work and helped the dog gain strength and confidence. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2026 Walnut, aged brass, honed marble, and linen textiles also stand out beautifully against its dark, smoky presence. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 1 Oct. 2026 Long honed his skills in Florence, Italy, under prominent painter Pietro Annigoni, bringing a level of classical artistry to these North Carolina frescoes, created in the ‘80s, that feels remarkable for a small mountain community. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 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
  • There may have been little place for critique in his early images of the luxe life, but their satirical edge sharpened over time, hitting a peak in a spoof of tabloid sensationalism in the September, 1962, issue.
    — Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Many nights, MacArthur turned to these books, often choosing challenging texts to sharpen his mind; light-hearted fiction was conspicuously absent.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • Some of these practices have been reported on before, such as rubbing deodorant against colored pages from magazines to make eye shadow.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The story takes place around the Club Rumba Royale, where white Europeans and Congolese citizens rub shoulders, and where the captivating melodies of rumba merge with aspirations and fiery debates of independence.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Especially now, younger kids are so immersed in social media and people are trying to fabricate themselves or polish and airbrush their lives and appearances.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Each refillable case secures with a satisfying magnetic closure, and is polished with an alabaster finish.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of polish
Verb
  • The roughly 7,300-square-foot residence has been adapted for contemporary living without completely sanding away what came before.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Bass delves into the ease (or difficulty) of loving people in terms anyone could grasp, sanding down the uniqueness of Cyrus’s viewpoint.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • While the left spent all week whining about Sophie Cunningham's hat and firing squad best practices, us PATRIOTS were biding our time, keeping our heads down, and grinding towards another weekend.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, smashing beef with a wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated, surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground, 12–15 minutes.
    — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • A day after their merger collapsed, Albertsons filed a lawsuit against Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Since February, the team has filed more than 40 open records requests with state regulators at the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
    — Justin Price, AJC.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of file

Browse Nearby Words

honchos
hone
honed
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Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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