1
as in sharpens
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
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2
as in rubs
to make smooth by friction
honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
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Recent Examples of hones
Chance the Rapper, another honoree, hones his influence and charity on young generations in his hometown through his organization Social Works Chicago, which works with mental health providers, the homeless, and public schools.
—
Connor Greene, Time, 22 May 2026
But Highsmith hones the drama by putting us in Chester’s head.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Victor Wembanyama hones his own brand of basketball daily.
—James Jackson, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Both films revolved around Mitchie (Lovato), who hones her vocal talents at the camp alongside the Gray brothers Shane (Joe Jonas), Nate (Nick Jonas), and Jason (Kevin Jonas).
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
To survive a ruthless winnowing—to go from one of about 16,000 high-school quarterbacks each year to one of the 10 good ones in the NFL to one of the three or so each generation who earn the Hall of Fame’s gold jacket—hones certain traits within them and strips others away.
—Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Training also hones employability skills and offers guidance for honing college and career paths.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Sep. 2025
Interior decorator Guiomar Doval, a fourth-generation Tanjawi of Spanish descent who studied design in Madrid, hones her Afro-Mediterranean style using north Moroccan materials and crafts in restaurants like Chiringuito in Tanja Marina Bay.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Connor Greene, Time, 22 May 2026
But Highsmith hones the drama by putting us in Chester’s head.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Victor Wembanyama hones his own brand of basketball daily.
—James Jackson, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Both films revolved around Mitchie (Lovato), who hones her vocal talents at the camp alongside the Gray brothers Shane (Joe Jonas), Nate (Nick Jonas), and Jason (Kevin Jonas).
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
To survive a ruthless winnowing—to go from one of about 16,000 high-school quarterbacks each year to one of the 10 good ones in the NFL to one of the three or so each generation who earn the Hall of Fame’s gold jacket—hones certain traits within them and strips others away.
—Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Training also hones employability skills and offers guidance for honing college and career paths.
—Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Sep. 2025
Interior decorator Guiomar Doval, a fourth-generation Tanjawi of Spanish descent who studied design in Madrid, hones her Afro-Mediterranean style using north Moroccan materials and crafts in restaurants like Chiringuito in Tanja Marina Bay.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hones
Verb
-
That mindset simplifies his decision-making, sharpens perception and allows his performance to become more instinctive.—
Elise Devlin,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Share a silly story with family to restore warmth, and remember that joy sharpens focus as well as spreadsheets.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The plastic bristles coax out loose hair as your cat rubs against it.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
-
Expect wagyu brisket, lemon-zested ribs and rubs with hints of curry or tandoori.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Not necessarily that the basketball becomes easier, but each minute is so tense, both teams are so focused and each possession is so tight that the winner is often decided by which team — or player — can execute when the game grinds to a halt.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
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To craft the burger, the team coarsely grinds — twice — the leftover pieces of meat and fat trimmed from either a brisket or shoulder clod, then forms 8-ounce-thick patties, which are rolled in a housemade all-purpose rub and 16-mesh pepper and smoked for two hours.—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Sawdust sprays as Matt Sams meticulously sands the edges of a balcony railing that will soon be affixed to the front of a house.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Chapman sands his board occasionally to remove this top layer of funk.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Each year, the Cuban government files a complaint with the United Nations over harms caused by the longstanding embargo.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Kim has called for creating a public disaster insurance program and advocated for preventing companies from raising rates after someone files a home or auto insurance claim.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hones. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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