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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of honed
Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Adopting ‘The Pitt’ Model One thing that premium cable introduced and streaming further honed is short seasons, with 8 episodes a season now standard for a streaming drama series.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
Every living thing on Earth has been honed by millions of years of evolution and coevolution alongside all the other creatures and the planet’s different environments.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, to the maximum practical extent, capabilities honed at the base are to be scalable to Mars missions and adaptable to evolving national exploration and science needs.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Letourneau honed that narrative approach during his decade-plus as a sportswriter.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
The knife blade is not serrated, so it can be honed for maintenance and eventually sharpened.
—Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Adopting ‘The Pitt’ Model One thing that premium cable introduced and streaming further honed is short seasons, with 8 episodes a season now standard for a streaming drama series.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
Every living thing on Earth has been honed by millions of years of evolution and coevolution alongside all the other creatures and the planet’s different environments.
—Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, to the maximum practical extent, capabilities honed at the base are to be scalable to Mars missions and adaptable to evolving national exploration and science needs.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Letourneau honed that narrative approach during his decade-plus as a sportswriter.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
Verb
-
The knife blade is not serrated, so it can be honed for maintenance and eventually sharpened.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Utah State sharpened its game, the Aztecs erred too often, on both offense and defense, and the Aggies — yes, assisted by an officiating mistake that led to a pair of free throws — ran away to a 72-63 victory.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 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
-
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
-
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 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
