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
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Ahmed’s electrifying turn illuminates the text, carefully honed by Lesslie.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Kyūsu, Japan Japanese kyūsu (teapot) artist Taisuke Shiraiwa honed his skills on the pottery wheel under the mentorship of master craftsman Konishi Yohei in Tokoname, Japan, a storied ceramics town.
—Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Ahmed’s electrifying performance illuminates the text, carefully honed by Lesslie.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Pandikuthira mentioned the word Nürburgring, which is where the R35 GT-R was honed and developed when tested outside of Japan.
—Joel Feder, The Drive, 2 Apr. 2026
Koehnemann’s emphasis on fundamentals was honed as Sandberg hit ground balls to him in the driveway.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The process of designing and engineering cars has been finely honed by automakers over the decades, even as computer technology has revolutionized the industry and safety standards and requirements strengthened.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 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
Verb
Ashley isn’t that much brighter, but her instincts are well-honed to a fault.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Ahmed’s electrifying turn illuminates the text, carefully honed by Lesslie.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Kyūsu, Japan Japanese kyūsu (teapot) artist Taisuke Shiraiwa honed his skills on the pottery wheel under the mentorship of master craftsman Konishi Yohei in Tokoname, Japan, a storied ceramics town.
—Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Ahmed’s electrifying performance illuminates the text, carefully honed by Lesslie.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Pandikuthira mentioned the word Nürburgring, which is where the R35 GT-R was honed and developed when tested outside of Japan.
—Joel Feder, The Drive, 2 Apr. 2026
Koehnemann’s emphasis on fundamentals was honed as Sandberg hit ground balls to him in the driveway.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The process of designing and engineering cars has been finely honed by automakers over the decades, even as computer technology has revolutionized the industry and safety standards and requirements strengthened.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
Verb
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In a letter sent on Monday to the Paramount mogul, Booker had sharpened his words toward the executive in an effort to get Ellison to testify.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Under his leadership, Dow sharpened its focus on higher-value materials markets tied to packaging, infrastructure, and consumer applications.—
Ruth Umoh,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What to look for in an arnica gel Some arnica gels have a slight odor that dissipates when exposed to the air and rubbed into your skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Eisenberg walked to Shawn and rubbed his balding head affectionately.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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All that credit goes to the co-creators Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and director Tye Blue, who have crafted one of the sharpest books Broadway has seen in years.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
-
After that, they’re called thornbacks, a thornback being a bottom-feeding skatelike fish with sharp spikes running along its spine.—
David Sedaris,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sleek for the office, polished for church, and comfy for everyday wear, this tank top is fit for any occasion.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This linen style is light and breathable yet polished enough for dressy dinners, strolling along the beach, or exploring the city.—
Jacquelyn McGilvray,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Past employees have said that working under Levin is nightmarish; one former colleague of Levin’s filed a gender discrimination complaint against the organization in 2020.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
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Two federal lawsuits have been filed in Florida challenging the requirement, arguing that requiring documentary proof of citizenship and marking that status on identification violates constitutional protections under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Honed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honed. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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