hone

verb

ˈhōn How to pronounce hone (audio)
Definition of honenext
1
as in to sharpen
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 to rub
to make smooth by friction honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp

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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 hone Looking ahead, design and executive teams will need to work in tandem to to hone a new formula. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 But Canales said Sunday provided him and Evans, who has primarily served as a special teams player for Carolina, an opportunity to hone his coverage skills. — Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 Over 18 months, Bormann and Category 5 K9 honed Canyon’s natural skills toward search-and-rescue work and helped the dog gain strength and confidence. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2026 Walnut, aged brass, honed marble, and linen textiles also stand out beautifully against its dark, smoky presence. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
  1. sharpen
  2. rub
  3. polish
  4. sand
  5. grind
  6. file
Verb
  • Anxiety knocks people off autopilot, sharpens attention and sends them looking for new information.
    — Monique Mitchell Turner, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026
  • If this more potent engine wasn’t enough, the 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 bristles with fresh technology and engineering enhancements to sharpen its driving dynamics.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • The discovery was made Wednesday in the Hickory Ridge area of east Charlotte, and responding officers report a man drenched in sweat tried to rub them down with garlic and bite them, according to an affidavit.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • True, but there are other issues that rubbed me the wrong way (sorry).
    — Valerie Monroe, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • The asymmetrical hemline of the sweater is right on trend and makes the whole look feel much more intentional, while the slouchy silhouette still looks polished enough for a coffee run after landing.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Almost all of them seemed empty, like houses closed for the season, but a handful had signs of life—crewmen at the railings, polishing the brightwork, as if getting ready to leave.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of polish
Verb
  • To hold it in my lap and sand down the spot where my story was engraved.
    — Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Whatever marks that remain after pulling the supports away and curing the parts are easily ground or sanded away.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • For decades, junior accountants learned their trade by reconciling accounts, manually entering data, and grinding through the month-end close.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This innovation—the mass manufacture of ammonia, vastly more efficient than scraping guano off remote islands or grinding mountains of bison bones—removed the most critical nutrient bottleneck in global agriculture.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • Three outside law professors who reviewed the materials at the request of The Post said West Point's actions appear to violate the order issued by Judge Cathy Seibel in September that ended a lawsuit filed by a civilian professor at the academy.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Joao Pedro Padua, a law professor at the Fluminense Federal University, said that Bolsonaro can file a lawsuit directly with the country’s electoral authorities or the Supreme Court, asking for the elections to be declared null and void.
    — ELÉONORE HUGHES, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of file

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honchos
hone
honed
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Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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