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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hone
In Paris, every self-pampering detail—naturellement—is honed to perfection.
—
Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
Funded by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), the fellowship offers producers and development executives one-on-one time with high-level industry creatives and executives to help hone their skills in the art of communication, networking, leadership and project development.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Headquartered south of Munich in Kochel, Germany, Nugget Schmiede got its start on the rental and sale side of the Ford Nugget, eventually honing its skills at customizing Ford's small camper van and developing aftermarket components and accessories for it.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Players in college can also further hone their skills in hopes of attracting the interest of pro teams.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
Funded by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), the fellowship offers producers and development executives one-on-one time with high-level industry creatives and executives to help hone their skills in the art of communication, networking, leadership and project development.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Headquartered south of Munich in Kochel, Germany, Nugget Schmiede got its start on the rental and sale side of the Ford Nugget, eventually honing its skills at customizing Ford's small camper van and developing aftermarket components and accessories for it.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Players in college can also further hone their skills in hopes of attracting the interest of pro teams.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
Verb
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That said, the swing of dozens of seats has become increasingly difficult as the number of competitive districts has declined and political divisions have sharpened.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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In central states, climate change has sharpened competition over land and water, intensifying clashes between farmers and herders.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the shoot unfolds, Clyde can be found affectionately rubbing Hayley’s hand, gently playing with the wedding band on her ring finger.—
Cierra Black,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Wet both the pumice stone and the surface where the stain is, and gently rub the pumice over the stain in short strokes until the stain is gone.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set the scene Set on a leafy corner of Recoleta, close enough to the action but removed from the tourist hubbub, Sofitel is polished without being stuffy, the kind of place where everyone looks put-together even at breakfast.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
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Many are polished enough to appear legitimate at first glance.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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To smooth rough wood, sand the handles with medium-grit sandpaper and rub them with linseed oil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
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City of Dallas has only eight snow plows The city of Dallas has only eight snow plows and about 100 sanding trucks for 11,700 lane miles of roads, forcing it to prioritize.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These choppers fit together like puzzle pieces, allowing the animal to grind up tough, fibrous plants.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Hawke’s fifth nomination — his first in lead actor — feels like a career acknowledgment for decades of grinding in the Hollywood industry.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files document dump, despite the consensual nature of his exchanges with Maxwell, has set off a firestorm among some of the clients represented by Wasserman’s sports, marketing and entertainment units.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
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Many portions of the replies from the prospective applicants were redacted as confidential or proprietary information in the copies of forms and documents the district provided to the news organization, which first filed a request with the district in December but only received material Thursday.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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