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
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has released footage of fighter jets honing their skills at intercepting Russian and Chinese bombers over Alaska.
—
Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
By then, Basquiat was collaborating with Warhol and, in his paintings, honing a critique of ownership and the commodification of everyday life.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Sabu began his professional wrestling career in the mid-1980s, honing his craft in various independent promotions.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The Senegal native spent the 2023 MLS season and part of 2024 with Charlotte FC, honing his game primarily with the club’s MLS Next Pro reserve squad, Crown Legacy.
—Kyle Kensing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Still honing his raw talent and learning the NBA’s style, Wemby already ranks in the 95th percentile of on-off differential.
—Shane Young, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
By honing programming techniques to maximize the utilization of Nvidia chips (a resource particularly scarce for Chinese firms due the US chip ban), DeepSeek has shown that high quality models can be made with much higher cost efficiency.
—London Business School, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Unilever has been in the process of honing its vast portfolio in recent years.
—Richard Collings, Axios, 13 Feb. 2025
Pro-level sports simulators allow guests full immersion in the game of their choice, whether that means honing your golf drive or calculating your passing accuracy next to say, Tom Brady’s.
—Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
By then, Basquiat was collaborating with Warhol and, in his paintings, honing a critique of ownership and the commodification of everyday life.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Sabu began his professional wrestling career in the mid-1980s, honing his craft in various independent promotions.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
The Senegal native spent the 2023 MLS season and part of 2024 with Charlotte FC, honing his game primarily with the club’s MLS Next Pro reserve squad, Crown Legacy.
—Kyle Kensing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Still honing his raw talent and learning the NBA’s style, Wemby already ranks in the 95th percentile of on-off differential.
—Shane Young, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
By honing programming techniques to maximize the utilization of Nvidia chips (a resource particularly scarce for Chinese firms due the US chip ban), DeepSeek has shown that high quality models can be made with much higher cost efficiency.
—London Business School, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Unilever has been in the process of honing its vast portfolio in recent years.
—Richard Collings, Axios, 13 Feb. 2025
Pro-level sports simulators allow guests full immersion in the game of their choice, whether that means honing your golf drive or calculating your passing accuracy next to say, Tom Brady’s.
—Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honing
Verb
-
Ah, Gloria Jean’s Coffees must be grinding some java for an adventurous soul looking to try something different than a cup of Brim or Sanka.—
David Petitti,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Many tree care companies offer stump grinding services.—
Daniel Scott,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In addition to polishing, 6D force sensors are an essential part of humanoid robots, greatly enhancing their entire performance.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2025
-
From tackling the many facets of artificial intelligence to polishing communication skills, ongoing learning is an everyday initiative for today’s savviest tech leaders.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This includes breaking laws and not filing taxes.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
-
But even filing for arbitration could help frame Geekie’s contract.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Start by buffing a small, out-of-sight area with any cleaning solutions listed to make sure there are no reactions or damage.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
16 Dec. 2024
-
The outside of these types of receptacles need a bit of buffing with a dry microfiber towel to rid of fingerprints, smudges, and stains.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
23 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Honing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honing. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share