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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubs
to make smooth by friction
honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of hones
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
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
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Stepping into the world of Formula One recently, the scale of precision working alongside some of the absolute greats sharpens you.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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Scorpio October 23 – November 21 When depth calls, your focus sharpens naturally.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This might happen because antler rubs strip bark away, revealing lignin-rich inner wood that reemits the longer wavelengths in a way bark does not.—
Anirban Mukhopadhyay,
Scientific American,
21 Jan. 2026
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Unfortunately, Martin’s blunt and borderline rude bedside manner rubs the quirky, needy locals the wrong way, including schoolteacher Louisa Gavin (Abigail Spencer).—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The number of technicians who prepare hundreds of skis with special waxes and grinds to ensure the best glide for the day during World Cup, World Championship and Olympic events.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Nothing grinds my gears like shopping for luxury fashion pieces, only to learn that the fabric is made of cheap material (insert crying emoji).—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chapman sands his board occasionally to remove this top layer of funk.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The latest Justice Department files detail years of cordial correspondence between Pritzker, Epstein, and Maxwell after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
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Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files document dump, despite the consensual nature of his exchanges with Maxwell, has set off a firestorm among some of the clients represented by Wasserman’s sports, marketing and entertainment units.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hones. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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