hone

1 of 3

verb (1)

honed; honing

transitive verb

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

hone

2 of 3

noun

hone

3 of 3

verb (2)

honed; honing

intransitive verb

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

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
Eight of Pentacles: This is a month to hone your skills and refine your craft, as Mercury’s journey through Aquarius should sharpen your focus until the 14th. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025 Before teaming up to start their own concept, Webber and Jordan honed their skills working in the Michelin three-star restaurant Addison by William Bradley in San Diego and Benu in San Francisco. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025 Maple, who honed her craft first working on news coverage for CBS and NBC, and was one of the first Black women to join the cinematographers union in New York, died in 2023 at age 86. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 May 2025 The 2020 first-rounder played 240 games in the minors, honing his talents, before arriving at Wrigley Field to stay last April. Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 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

Cite this Entry

“Hone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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

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