hone

1 of 3

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 3

noun

: whetstone

hone

3 of 3

verb (2)

honed; honing

intransitive verb

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

Synonyms of hone

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Verb (1)

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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
Texas’ most promising legal minds will have a new home to hone their craft after Texas A&M officially opened its new law school building Wednesday. — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 Bush and Bell both honed their leadership skills in Ferguson amid the racial unrest that followed the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in 2014. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 Araki, who has honed his craft on the swift schedules of both low-budget movies and episodic television, says there’s something to be gained from having the momentum that comes with never being able to slow down. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Aug. 2026 The group’s fourth album Welcome to my Blue Sky was released in the spring of 2025, one which finds the group further honing their melodic, hooky songwriting. — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hone

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb (1)

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

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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
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Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone. Accessed 7 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on hone

Nglish: Translation of hone for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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