HONES Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

hones

verb

present tense third-person singular of hone

as in sharpens

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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as in rubs

to make smooth by friction honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp

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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 hones Chance the Rapper, another honoree, hones his influence and charity on young generations in his hometown through his organization Social Works Chicago, which works with mental health providers, the homeless, and public schools. — Connor Greene, Time, 22 May 2026 But Highsmith hones the drama by putting us in Chester’s head. — Literary Hub, 1 May 2026 Victor Wembanyama hones his own brand of basketball daily. — James Jackson, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026 Both films revolved around Mitchie (Lovato), who hones her vocal talents at the camp alongside the Gray brothers Shane (Joe Jonas), Nate (Nick Jonas), and Jason (Kevin Jonas). — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025 To survive a ruthless winnowing—to go from one of about 16,000 high-school quarterbacks each year to one of the 10 good ones in the NFL to one of the three or so each generation who earn the Hall of Fame’s gold jacket—hones certain traits within them and strips others away. — Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025 Training also hones employability skills and offers guidance for honing college and career paths. — Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Sep. 2025 Living in a world not designed with disability in mind heightens your ability to problem solve and, over time, hones your ingenuity. — Sophie Morgan, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hones

Verb

Still, Mercury in your sign simultaneously sharpens your instincts while also fueling your anxiety, and just as Saturn retrograde challenges you to question whether your routines and habits are actually serving you.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2026
Read alongside the research, Harari’s argument sharpens the problem.

— Deepa Nagraj, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharpens

Verb

Vapor rubs containing combinations of camphor, eucalyptus and menthol oils may provide some relief for nighttime cough and cold symptoms when applied to the chest and neck.

— Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubs

Verb

The annual College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the country’s most important academic event, grinds the nation to almost a halt to ensure the smooth administration of the exam.

— Lim Hui Jie,Miko Jang, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Finance ministers and central bank officials of G20 countries convene in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday as the US-Iran war grinds into its sixth month, raising inflation expectations and keeping energy prices elevated.

— Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of grinds

Verb

Thorn cuts the pieces for his puzzle-style artworks, sands them, paints them, then glues them into a frame.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Sawdust sprays as Matt Sams meticulously sands the edges of a balcony railing that will soon be affixed to the front of a house.

— Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of sands

Verb

Sweden files more patents per person than almost every other European country, hosts four of the world’s top 130 universities, and is ranked by the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization as the second most innovative economy on earth.

— Jan Larsson, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Settling the issue through the EEOC’s pre-litigation conciliation process ends the matter before the federal agency files a federal lawsuit on behalf of the applicants.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026