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 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 Long honed his skills in Florence, Italy, under prominent painter Pietro Annigoni, bringing a level of classical artistry to these North Carolina frescoes, created in the ‘80s, that feels remarkable for a small mountain community. — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 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
  • Why coffee on an empty stomach backfires Pouring coffee into an empty stomach speeds absorption and sharpens the eventual fall.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Cohan joins the eight-episode series as Catherine ‘Cat’ Keegan, a former homecoming queen whose small-town charm has sharpened into something fiercer thanks to decades of old grudges and regrets.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharpen
Verb
  • Separating small equipment, personal accessories, and emergency supplies can also help reduce clutter and prevent belongings from rubbing against one another.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Just before dusk, four or five does walked under the tree, and then a four-point buck followed, stopping beneath me to rub his antlers on a bush.
    — Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rub
Verb
  • Especially now, younger kids are so immersed in social media and people are trying to fabricate themselves or polish and airbrush their lives and appearances.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Each refillable case secures with a satisfying magnetic closure, and is polished with an alabaster finish.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 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
  • The Gators have ground to make up, and Georgia is on the horizon.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The stock still looks cheap, trading at a mid-teens multiple on forward earnings estimates, which should help shares grind higher.
    — Alexa LoMonaco,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • Homeland Security Investigations agents also interviewed Adawag last week, according to the criminal complaint filed against her.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In this new 34-page complaint filed on October 16 in the state Supreme Court, Amy Helm alleges that Parillo took control of LHS by way of voting assignments.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of file

Browse Nearby Words

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 20 Oct. 2026.

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