hone

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈhōn How to pronounce hone (audio)
honed; honing
Synonyms of hone

transitive verb

1
: to sharpen or smooth with a whetstone
2
: to make more acute, intense, or effective : whet
… helped her hone her comic timing …—Patricia Bosworth
honer noun

hone

2 of 3

noun

: whetstone

hone

3 of 3

verb (2)

honed; honing

intransitive verb

1
dialect : yearn
—often used with for or after
2
dialect : grumble, moan

Synonyms of hone

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Verb (1)

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Examples of hone in a Sentence

Verb (1) 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 honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
Ne-Yo followed suit and honed his tenor like a lithe instrument. — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026 And while not everyone has been happy with such a major shift, notably all those pentathletes who spent years honing their equestrian skills, the sport deemed it a necessary disturbance in order to maintain its status as an Olympic event. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 In a separate interview, Sundwall homed in on cars and economic impact, outlining efficiency honed through the methods of private business, as well as total spending transparency. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2026 The aesthetic Chesky honed at the Rhode Island School of Design permeates his San Francisco headquarters, a former Eveready battery factory whose meeting rooms look like Airbnb rentals from around the world. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English hān stone; akin to Old Norse hein whetstone, Latin cot-, cos, Sanskrit śiśāti he whets

Verb (2)

Middle French hoigner to grumble

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hone was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing hone

Rhymes for hone

See All Rhymes for hone

Browse Nearby Words

Honduras rosewood
hone
Honecker
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Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hone

verb
ˈhōn
honed; honing
1
: to sharpen with or as if with a fine abrasive stone
2
: to make more intense or effective
top athletes honing their skills
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