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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of honed
Helen Wright, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
Plus, celebrities who’ve honed expert airport styling, like Katie Holmes, prove that whatever spring shoe trends are this year, a white sneaker adds a polished, sophisticated edge to any travel outfit.
—Irene Richardson, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
There, they were put through the same three drills again at The Cliff, United’s former training ground where so many club legends once honed their craft.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Surf schools—including School of Surf Cocoa Beach, where locals like 11-time world champion Kelly Slater honed their skills—line the shore.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
Goffman honed these ideas as a doctoral student on the remote Shetland Islands of Scotland.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Looking at the full year, the picture brightened as SMCP honed its full-price strategy and concentrated on improving brand perception.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Orozco honed her craft working at The Late Show with David Letterman, The Wendy Williams Show, Wendy Style Squad and The Rachael Ray Show.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
The wickedly funny yet dark British dramedy is a delightful showcase for Purnell, who honed her craft with such genre shows as Yellowjackets and Fallout.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
With expertise honed over 70 years of theme-park entertainment, Disney has tapped into a unique niche of those who want an elevated holiday experience but with all the key Disney elements that make theme parks like Disneyland a bucket-list trip.
—Helen Wright, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
Plus, celebrities who’ve honed expert airport styling, like Katie Holmes, prove that whatever spring shoe trends are this year, a white sneaker adds a polished, sophisticated edge to any travel outfit.
—Irene Richardson, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
There, they were put through the same three drills again at The Cliff, United’s former training ground where so many club legends once honed their craft.
—Chris McKenna, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Surf schools—including School of Surf Cocoa Beach, where locals like 11-time world champion Kelly Slater honed their skills—line the shore.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
Goffman honed these ideas as a doctoral student on the remote Shetland Islands of Scotland.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Looking at the full year, the picture brightened as SMCP honed its full-price strategy and concentrated on improving brand perception.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Orozco honed her craft working at The Late Show with David Letterman, The Wendy Williams Show, Wendy Style Squad and The Rachael Ray Show.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
The wickedly funny yet dark British dramedy is a delightful showcase for Purnell, who honed her craft with such genre shows as Yellowjackets and Fallout.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
Verb
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Jeff Beasley, a fifth-generation oyster farmer and owner of Maggioni Oyster Company, emphasizes using knives designed specifically for shucking, not sharpened kitchen knives or improvised tools.—
Rai Mincey,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Hefets’ detainments were part of a national policy toward antisemitism, defined over decades in the shadow of the Holocaust and sharpened recently under the helm of Felix Klein, the first federal commissioner for combating antisemitism.—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Your basic latex makeup wedges, dampened and rubbed against the stain.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Diawara dumped off a pass to Josh Hart for an easy layup, while Doncic, lying flat on his back under the basket, looked at the closest official and rubbed his fingers together as if flashing money.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Moon, planet of emotions, soars into your 9th House of Philosophy today, encouraging you to explore ideas, cultures, or beliefs that soften sharp edges.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Here on the streets of Israel, there's been a sharp increase in the amount of rocket and missile attacks from Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in the past 24 hours.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
French bangs—the eternally cool and messy-yet-polished style—are all about the illusion of nonchalance.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The spotless streets are polished nightly by the feet of families licking ice cream.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Records also show a misdemeanor theft charge of $100 to $750 from Garland that hadn’t yet been filed with the DA’s office.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Following passage of the measure, Neil Sealy, the executive director of Arkansas Community Organizations, told the board that evictions filed in Pulaski County had more than doubled since 2018, with 4,345 evictions in the county in 2025.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Honed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honed. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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