1
as in sharpening
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubbing
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 honing
In the meantime, the teen appears to be honing her stunt skills.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
But for sure, the talent is out there, honing their craft and building fan bases post by post, participants agreed.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Growing up watching the Food Network, Castro, 34, learned all the basics about preparing the perfect meal while honing her craft at home.
—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Google has been honing Adaptive Connectivity for a few generations on the Pixel.
—
Florence Ion,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Richard Vogel was 18 years old, honing his skills as a young rider in Germany, when Scott Brash made history by becoming the first rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
—
Danielle Rossingh,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Tobacco companies spent decades honing marketing strategies, flavor engineering and processing technologies that helped addict consumers to cigarettes.
—
Maria Godoy,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Among the city’s finest is Michael Lepage, who has been honing his Paul Revere character for over 30 years.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Students are honing their craft for the three-day festival at the Angelika Film Center in the heart of Mockingbird Station.
—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
But for sure, the talent is out there, honing their craft and building fan bases post by post, participants agreed.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Growing up watching the Food Network, Castro, 34, learned all the basics about preparing the perfect meal while honing her craft at home.
—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Google has been honing Adaptive Connectivity for a few generations on the Pixel.
—
Florence Ion,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Richard Vogel was 18 years old, honing his skills as a young rider in Germany, when Scott Brash made history by becoming the first rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
—
Danielle Rossingh,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Tobacco companies spent decades honing marketing strategies, flavor engineering and processing technologies that helped addict consumers to cigarettes.
—
Maria Godoy,
NPR,
9 June 2026
Among the city’s finest is Michael Lepage, who has been honing his Paul Revere character for over 30 years.
—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Students are honing their craft for the three-day festival at the Angelika Film Center in the heart of Mockingbird Station.
—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honing
Verb
-
Efficiency doesn’t mean cutting corners—just sharpening the blade.
-
But events in students’ lifetimes also played a role in sharpening their opinions.
Verb
-
Many kids joined Club America in part because Kirk’s conservative principles appealed to them and in part because rubbing elbows with wealthy donors who frequented Mar-a-Lago did, too.
-
But Jonah never accepted plenty of welcoming hands despite rubbing elbows in such crowds, and Jamon hardly let his son leave the house, least of all for a party.
Verb
-
Yet Marketplace Pulse research shows only 23% of sellers are growing revenue and improving margins at the same time; the rest are either grinding or distressed.
-
The grinding process will leave a large mound of chips mixed with soil that will need to be removed and replaced with topsoil.
Verb
-
The deceptively roomy, buttery-smooth leather style features a convertible crossbody strap, metal feet, interior pockets, and an outfit-polishing silhouette.
-
Prioritizing Features Over User Intent A common user experience mistake is polishing the surface instead of solving for the moment of intent.
Verb
-
The rural counties filing near zero RPOs are not failing because red-flag laws do not work in conservative communities.
-
Due date for individual taxpayers filing on extension (payment was still due April 15).
Verb
-
During a walk-through for reporters on Thursday, construction noises — particularly sanding and hammering — could be heard.
-
Then sanding, priming, spraying back at my own shop to create numerous avatars of her including a male trixter hero version named the ‘Frozen Charlatan’ who is the chrome metallic alter ego.
Verb
-
Use a microfiber cloth to clean, and follow by buffing the surface with a clean, dry cloth to prevent streaks.
-
Use an applicator pad (often supplied with the wax) and start buffing with a fresh microfiber towel.
Cite this Entry
“Honing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honing. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
