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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction
honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
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Recent Examples of honing
That Beijing is honing its ability to mount a blockade isn’t in doubt.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
The series will launch on YouTube later this year, honing and building IP.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Freshman year is about discovering passions and honing talent.
—Rachel Spector, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
There, users have been honing methods for getting Grok Imagine to generate explicit adult content — and the latest update has apparently supercharged their efforts.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
This handheld vacuum cleans messes throughout your home with ease, and this knife block set includes nine different pieces, one pair of sheers, and a honing rod.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Sax worked tirelessly on his baseball craft, growing from a 5-foot-3, 105-pound high school freshman into a brick, relentlessly honing his skills and driven by the the fear that his career could be over in a flash.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025
The senior has been dedicated to the marching band and color guard, a passion that began the summer before her freshman year with countless hours honing her skills and helping both programs achieve success.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
Holding firm Although Russia has been honing its tactics, Moldova has also learned lessons from previous campaigns.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
The series will launch on YouTube later this year, honing and building IP.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Freshman year is about discovering passions and honing talent.
—Rachel Spector, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
There, users have been honing methods for getting Grok Imagine to generate explicit adult content — and the latest update has apparently supercharged their efforts.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
This handheld vacuum cleans messes throughout your home with ease, and this knife block set includes nine different pieces, one pair of sheers, and a honing rod.
—Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Sax worked tirelessly on his baseball craft, growing from a 5-foot-3, 105-pound high school freshman into a brick, relentlessly honing his skills and driven by the the fear that his career could be over in a flash.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025
The senior has been dedicated to the marching band and color guard, a passion that began the summer before her freshman year with countless hours honing her skills and helping both programs achieve success.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
Holding firm Although Russia has been honing its tactics, Moldova has also learned lessons from previous campaigns.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honing
Verb
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That the film introduces the possibility the missile might prove to be a dud further deepens its sense of uncertainty, sharpening the fear and chaos around the decision-making process.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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Dressed in a plain baby blue spaghetti-strap top, the 31-year-old is having her glam squad ready her, meticulously curling her waist-length extensions and sharpening her cat-eye eyeliner.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Because the surface of the cornea contains multiple tiny microabrasions from your contact rubbing against it, these can function as openings for the amoeba to infiltrate—and the longer you’re exposed to it, the further in it can burrow.—
Holly Burns,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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Rinse the seeds in a colander afterward, rubbing with your fingers to detach any stubborn bits of pulp.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Another aspect to note is that most of the beef coming from Argentina would fall in the lean grinding beef category.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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That hypnotizing aroma may be one thing, but there is actually a science to grinding coffee.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At one point, convinced that one of the screenwriters who was on set polishing the script was leaking information to Weinstein, Scorsese rushed into the office and flung his desk out the window.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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Venus ends its Virgo run in your communication house, polishing your words with discernment.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, there are no records of Ashlee filing the necessary paperwork to homeschool a child, according to a California Department of Education spokesperson.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
-
First, prepare the nails by filing them and removing any remaining shine.—
Laura Solla,
Glamour,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Even the DeSantis administration might have some qualms about sanding off crosswalk markings within sight of the club where 49 people died in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
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The acid can stain or discolor the surface, possibly requiring sanding to remove.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
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Instead, Bungie rolled out a TWAB last week that was nerfing player progression instead of buffing it.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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