Synonyms of honed

honed 1 of 2

adjective

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

• sharpened
• sharp
• cutting
• edged
• ground
• trenchant
• keen
• jagged
• whetted
• edgy
• stropped
• piercing
• knifelike
• pointed
• scratching
• clawlike
• lacerating
• stabbing
• daggerlike
• spiky
• jabbing
• pointy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dull
• blunt
• smooth
• rounded
• dulled
• blunted
• soft
• obtuse
• level
• flat
• even
• slick

honed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hone

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

• sharpened
• whetted
• ground
• stoned
• stropped
• edged
• filed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blunted
• dulled
• polished
• rounded
• smoothed
• glossed
• burnished
• buffed

2

as in rubbed

to make smooth by friction

honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rubbed
• polished
• filed
• sanded
• sharpened
• buffed
• scraped
• ground
• rasped
• smoothed
• planed
• scoured
• burnished
• shone
• sandblasted
• glossed
• whetted
• edged
• stropped
• dressed
• reground

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• roughened
• scuffed
• roughed (up)
• coarsened

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of honed

Verb

The 37-year-old has also honed his standup chops at Just for Laughs and at various live venues. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Born in Cheshire, England, on April 19, 1946, the young Curry honed his vocal talents before deciding to focus on acting. — Irene Borger, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026

Natural quartzite, honed marble, or soapstone are all great options to replace outdated white quartz. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026

With the help of international astronomy professionals and hobbyists, the center tracked the errant upper stage for months, then gradually honed their assessments to identify potential impact locations. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026

Waiting for his release Ramón Calderón told NPR his brother Homero is disciplined, a skill honed after years of playing soccer professionally. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026

Sure enough, during our interview, her answers betray a bombastic staccato honed on the stump. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

That’s partly because so much of who Gaby is has been carefully honed by the writers and Williams to align with the actor’s voice. — Maureen Lee Lenker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026

Both said the addition of ABS honed their knowledge of the strike zone, which now varies due to player height rather than stance. — Abby Disalvo, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026