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
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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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Recent Examples of hone
Its 62-kilometer track is where Mercedes engineers can develop and hone every new vehicle in conditions experienced all around the world.
—
Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2025
In Kansas City, Kozakiewicz was who Platt often turned to for promoting his key initiatives and honing the city’s messaging.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2025
For anyone who visited a basketball court around Oakland in the 2000s, there was a decent chance that a future WNBA all-star could be seen there, honing her skills.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
Before presenting a new strategy or making a big internal ask, imagine if teams practiced the way sales does—honing clarity, anticipating pushback and learning to communicate with empathy and confidence.
—Mike Villalobos, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hone
Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2025
In Kansas City, Kozakiewicz was who Platt often turned to for promoting his key initiatives and honing the city’s messaging.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2025
For anyone who visited a basketball court around Oakland in the 2000s, there was a decent chance that a future WNBA all-star could be seen there, honing her skills.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
Before presenting a new strategy or making a big internal ask, imagine if teams practiced the way sales does—honing clarity, anticipating pushback and learning to communicate with empathy and confidence.
—Mike Villalobos, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
Verb
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Players slid into second with their spikes high (and sometimes even sharpened).—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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Still, the global rise of spin dictatorships should sharpen awareness of what is happening in the U.S. Around the world, autocrats have learned to control their citizens by faking democracy.—
Daniel Treisman,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
Verb
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So in the long run, even somewhere like Oxford won't be rubbing their hands with glee if life is harder for Harvard — because Oxford and Harvard do projects together.—
Willem Marx,
NPR,
5 June 2025
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Privately, Musk rubbed a number of senior officials the wrong way during his time in government, and his complaints about a key legislative goal may further agitate his critics in the administration.—
Miranda Nazzaro,
The Hill,
4 June 2025
Verb
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The formal coupes are polished using specialty techniques to reveal a reflective, opalescent finish.—
Maria Conti,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2025
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Elevated by fluted panels and a duo of discreet storage drawers, its look is polished enough to nimbly complement non-office settings.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Guesses ranged from great whites to sand tigers to makos.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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The hood's finish is created by layering a base coat of paint that is then sanded down with a Maybach pattern that is printed onto it, adding two coats of clear lacquer to complete the process.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Verb
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While the Bruins took care of some key business in the hiring of new head coach Marco Sturm, the team’s scouting and management staffs have been been grinding through some planning for the future that is just as vital as the next coach.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
6 June 2025
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Meanwhile, families across America are grinding five, six, even seven days a week just to stay afloat.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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May 20, 2025 An emergency motion for that temporary furlough was filed Tuesday in federal court, and documents were obtained and reviewed by The Times.—
Christie D’Zurilla,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
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Sentencing papers filed Thursday show Jaydin Davinci Alford pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, reduced from first-degree murder, in exchange for the sentence imposed by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Melanie Martin.—
John Lynch,
Arkansas Online,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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