as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
using a finely honed butcher knife will make cutting meat easier
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in whetted
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubbed
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
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Recent Examples of honed
Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2025
This persona, combined with her incredible in-ring skills honed by her background as a gymnast, propelled her to the top of the NXT women's division.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Hijikata is considered one of the country’s most fluid and mature young strikers, having honed her trade as the only girl in an all-boys team until the age of 12.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Williams honed his startup through top accelerators and his own role with the National Association of Home Builders, bringing national and regional experience to his work.
—Margot MacHol Bisnow, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Since then, Gardner has honed her comedy skills, appearing in films such as Life of the Party, Otherhood and Hustle, as well as television shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Girls5eva and Shrinking.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Many of the investigators who left had honed their skills over years of field visits and inspections, developing a sixth sense for possible violations.
—ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2025
Honey is a recognizable archetype, the sort of pulp-fiction staple honed over decades of vintage publications, dog-eared paperbacks and B-movie double features.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
What is the accepted, honed definition within the field of consciousness research?
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Back inside, a casual dining area connects to a sleek kitchen outfitted with Calacatta Monet honed marble countertops, an eat-in island, a Lacanche range, and a butler’s pantry.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2025
This persona, combined with her incredible in-ring skills honed by her background as a gymnast, propelled her to the top of the NXT women's division.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Hijikata is considered one of the country’s most fluid and mature young strikers, having honed her trade as the only girl in an all-boys team until the age of 12.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Williams honed his startup through top accelerators and his own role with the National Association of Home Builders, bringing national and regional experience to his work.
—Margot MacHol Bisnow, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Since then, Gardner has honed her comedy skills, appearing in films such as Life of the Party, Otherhood and Hustle, as well as television shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Girls5eva and Shrinking.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Many of the investigators who left had honed their skills over years of field visits and inspections, developing a sixth sense for possible violations.
—ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2025
Honey is a recognizable archetype, the sort of pulp-fiction staple honed over decades of vintage publications, dog-eared paperbacks and B-movie double features.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
What is the accepted, honed definition within the field of consciousness research?
—Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
Verb
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Her next pivot sharpened her commercial instincts.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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From building looks piece by piece in the early days, to introducing womenswear, couture, and a cinematic sense of narrative, Keith has sharpened his process to create full worlds rather than individual outfits.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Spills can be blotted (never rubbed) with a dry cloth since the fabric is non-absorptive, and for more stubborn stains, dry cleaning is recommended.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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The bug’s feces can also end up inside or near a home and then be incidentally ingested or rubbed into the skin or mucous membrane.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Iniki is the Hawaiian word for sharp and piercing wind.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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Known for his bold use of color, playful bows, and signature heart motifs, Kelly’s work mixed joy and wit with sharp social commentary.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sojos Vintage Oversized Square Sunglasses Oversized square sunglasses are everywhere in Portugal, giving the bold-but-polished look that defines the Portuguese Girl aesthetic.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Sep. 2025
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Social media and dating feeds are polished to perfection, with filters helping us smoothen out flaws.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sherrilyn McQueen, who has published more than 80 novels that reached the New York Times bestseller list under the name Sherrilyn Kenyon, first accused her ex-husband Lawrence Kenyon of poisoning her in a lawsuit in 2019, a year after her husband filed for divorce.—
Evan Mealins,
The Tennessean,
10 Sep. 2025
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Wallace filed the claim, which is related to data protection, on Friday.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honed. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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