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
Drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson while honing lithe dancing skills and his supple tenor, Usher graduated from opener to solo headliner in 2002 with his 8701 Evolution Tour in support of his third studio album, 8701.
—
Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
Dern had to expand her repertoire and become accustomed to striking, constantly honing and improving under the tutelage of esteemed boxing coach Jason Parillo.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
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
Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
Dern had to expand her repertoire and become accustomed to striking, constantly honing and improving under the tutelage of esteemed boxing coach Jason Parillo.
—Brian Martin, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
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
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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Bathroom Sinks and Mirrors Bathroom mirrors and sinks are quick to show signs of use over the course of a week, and rubbing them down will make all of the difference.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Leave it on dirty spots for just a minute before rubbing residue away with a soft cloth.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The month-long blockade by the JNIM armed group has set off long queues at petrol stations in Bamako and other major cities, grinding economic activity to a halt.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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The site included installations for processing grapes, along with cisterns used to supply water and grinding stones.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
29 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
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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 2 Nov. 2025.
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