honed 1 of 2

adjective

as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something using a finely honed butcher knife will make cutting meat easier

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honed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hone
1
as in whetted
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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2
as in rubbed
to make smooth by friction honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp

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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 honed
Verb
Everything just feels locked in, optimized, honed for palpability and communication. — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026 The city offered a site in Exposition Park, just down the street from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where Lucas first honed his craft. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Nadler honed his comedy chops as a summer camp counselor and discovered a passion for stand-up while a theater major at Ithaca College. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 Born in Cheshire, England, on April 19, 1946, the young Curry honed his vocal talents before deciding to focus on acting. — Irene Borger, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026 Natural quartzite, honed marble, or soapstone are all great options to replace outdated white quartz. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026 With the help of international astronomy professionals and hobbyists, the center tracked the errant upper stage for months, then gradually honed their assessments to identify potential impact locations. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026 Waiting for his release Ramón Calderón told NPR his brother Homero is disciplined, a skill honed after years of playing soccer professionally. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 15 Aug. 2026 Sure enough, during our interview, her answers betray a bombastic staccato honed on the stump. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
  1. sharp
  2. sharpened
  3. rubbed
  4. polished
  5. filed
Adjective
  • These critters may look cute and cuddly, but their sharp claws are anything but.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sharp
Verb
  • Each tool sharpened one department, and the work still crawled between them, because nobody was ever asked to own the crawling.
    — Krupesh Bhat, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This is partly what propels his mole demi-glace, a convergence of inspirations realized in a duck and smoked chicken stock sharpened by the foundational components of mole.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of sharpened
Verb
  • The tacos feature za’atar rubbed swordfish kissed by a wood-burning grill, dabbed with tangy pools of labne and a salsa arabe, similar to harissa.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Tragedy, humor and scientific interest rubbed shoulders as Atlanta turned out Thursday night to view the astral spectacle which sent 261 stars streaking across the heavens.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of rubbed
Verb
  • Weeks for the shiny new parts to be polished up before being put on the road.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Shoppers love these wide-leg pants, saying they’re polished enough to wear out and cozy enough to use as pajamas.
    — Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of polished
Verb
  • That warrant was later recalled after a Court of Appeals judge determined the former governor had filed to have Johnson removed from the case before her warrant was issued.
    — Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2026
  • After the sentencing, Donna’s legal team filed a notice of appeal, per the Tallahassee Democrat.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of filed

Browse Nearby Words

hone
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honed in (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Honed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honed. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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