hone

1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈhōn How to pronounce hone (audio)
honed; honing
Synonyms of hone

transitive verb

1
: to sharpen or smooth with a whetstone
2
: to make more acute, intense, or effective : whet
… helped her hone her comic timing …—Patricia Bosworth
honer noun

hone

2 of 4

noun (1)

: whetstone

hone

3 of 4

verb (2)

honed; honing

intransitive verb

1
dialect : yearn
—often used with for or after
2
dialect : grumble, moan

honer

4 of 4

noun (2)

hon·​er
ˈhō-nə(r)
plural -s
: one that hones

Synonyms of hone

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Verb (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of hone in a Sentence

Verb (1) 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 honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The success of the original series and its spinoffs has provided ample data to Moonbug, which has refined and honed the programming in the process. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 Scientists need to hone their ability to discuss the benefits of science in people’s everyday lives, and to stop expecting the public to blindly trust them, several experts told STAT. — Nicholas Florko, STAT, 10 Oct. 2026 Peel has honed Chanel’s vast resources to make a good art magazine. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026 Looking ahead, design and executive teams will need to work in tandem to to hone a new formula. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1), Verb (1), and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English hān stone; akin to Old Norse hein whetstone, Latin cot-, cos, Sanskrit śiśāti he whets

Verb (2)

Middle French hoigner to grumble

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hone was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing hone

Rhymes for hone

See All Rhymes for hone

Browse Nearby Words

Honduras rosewood
hone
Honecker
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hone

verb
ˈhōn
honed; honing
1
: to sharpen with or as if with a fine abrasive stone
2
: to make more intense or effective
top athletes honing their skills
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