hone in
verb
George PlimptonBob GreeneLisa Russell
Hone in vs. Home in: Usage Guide
Most usage commentators consider hone in to be a mistake for home in. The use may have arisen from home in by the weakening of the \m\ sound to \n\ or it may have developed simply because of the influence of hone, with perhaps an underlying sense that "honing" figuratively involves a narrowing or sharpening of focus. Whatever the explanation of its origins, it has established itself in American English and has begun to make a few inroads into British English as well. Even so, your use of it especially in writing is likely to be called a mistake. Home in or in figurative use zero in is an easy alternative.
Examples of hone in in a Sentence
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
The good news is that the skills honed in middle management remain highly valuable.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Trump has honed in on a trade deficit with the bloc and called for the EU to buy more U.S. oil and gas.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
While the wellness club concept is largely anchored on community and social interaction, Grey Wolfe in West London hones in on hyper-personalization of wellness programs.
—Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hone in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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