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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of hone
The Global is made with somewhat softer stainless steel that's easier to hone and sharpen.
—
Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Determined to best himself with each creation, Frey worked to hone his art — and his gauges.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024
Lego Icons Plum Blossom For older Lego fans, or even people who haven’t honed their green thumbs, the botanicals kits are hugely popular.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 29 Nov. 2024
Under the mentorship of renowned singer Le Khanh, Thao hones her skills and explodes onto the scene with the song’s release.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hone 
Matthew Korfhage, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Determined to best himself with each creation, Frey worked to hone his art — and his gauges.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024
Lego Icons Plum Blossom For older Lego fans, or even people who haven’t honed their green thumbs, the botanicals kits are hugely popular.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 29 Nov. 2024
Under the mentorship of renowned singer Le Khanh, Thao hones her skills and explodes onto the scene with the song’s release.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hone
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hone
Verb
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Use a whetstone to sharpen pruning shears and other blades.Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2024
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Neanderthals made such tools by chipping away at flint to sharpen them into triangular shapes.Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Instead, focus on things like what's been bothering you in the past week, stress about an upcoming event, or a work incident that rubbed you the wrong way.Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
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Bringing them coffee and breakfast in bed is a good way to start, but rubbing their feet at the end of the day and listening to their war stories from work proves your sincerity.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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To complete the monochrome picture, which was styled by Annabelle Harron, Oprah polished things off with a pair of boots from the brand worn by Julia Roberts and her niece Emma Roberts, along with Selena Gomez and Katie Holmes.Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
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Behrends completes his process by polishing and buffing the sculpture before attaching it to the trophy.Bruce Martin, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The gene-editing is an attempt to fit a square peg into a round hole — to sand off the incompatible edges of a pig organ to force it to work in a human.Rob Stein, NPR, 17 Dec. 2024
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Remove the clamps, and sand the surface until smooth.Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Over the last year, Russia has been on the front foot, with the exception of Kursk, and has been grinding deeper into eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region despite heavy losses.Samya Kullab and Tara Copp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
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Choose your favorite salt for this recipe, and if possible, freshly grind the black pepper for the best flavor.Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Mangione started shaking when he was questioned by police, according to court documents that were filed on Monday.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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The lawsuit was initially filed in October, but was amended to include Jay-Z (born Shawn Carter).Michelle Lee, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hone. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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