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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of hone
Tech-art studio Rhizomatiks and Dentsu design experts, both based in Japan, continued honing the capabilities as underlying technology improved.
—
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a restaurant-quality flair to the dishes that’s impressive for a new lodge, no doubt honed through the team’s past stints at Chem Chem.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
For beer and wine, Holland is looking to narrow the focus to more local makers — to the best of her ability — working with distributors to hone the selections.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Tilson Thomas’ New World Symphony, an ensemble and intensive three-year fellowship program for music school graduates to hone their craft, and its home at the New World Center in Miami Beach, are considered to be crown jewels in the Miami area’s art scene.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a restaurant-quality flair to the dishes that’s impressive for a new lodge, no doubt honed through the team’s past stints at Chem Chem.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
For beer and wine, Holland is looking to narrow the focus to more local makers — to the best of her ability — working with distributors to hone the selections.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Tilson Thomas’ New World Symphony, an ensemble and intensive three-year fellowship program for music school graduates to hone their craft, and its home at the New World Center in Miami Beach, are considered to be crown jewels in the Miami area’s art scene.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
Verb
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As the Moon moves through your 12th House of Solitude, quiet preparation sharpens your thinking.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
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The series is inviting TV Academy and guild voters to have their knives sharpened for free at the Studio City Farmers Market on May 3rd.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Until sound effects, tones, and grating atmospheres rub right up against the dialogue.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
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An employee washed hands for less than 10 seconds at the sushi bar, and the inspector wants to see 10-15 seconds of your hands rubbing each other.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That means steep hills, slick cobblestones, long outdoor lunches, golden-hour strolls, late-night cocktails, and somehow still looking polished through all of it.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
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Why had someone polished smooth one of the crania and decorated another with a pattern of scratch marks?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If a wooden cutting board becomes heavily scarred, it can be fixed and refinished by lightly sanding it until the knife marks are gone.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
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The technique still needs sanding, and zero interceptions in 48 career games is concerning, but McCutchin’s combine testing gave his draft case a nice shot of nitrous.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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And, over the weekend, that community showed up in the simplest way possible — side by side in a gym, grinding through a workout, and remembering the ones who didn’t make it home.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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No charges were immediately filed.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Tona Henderson, an Idaho resident who has worked for decades to get Idaho included in the program, warned of scammers charging people to help file claims.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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