honing

American  

[hoh-ning] / ˈhoʊ nɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of sharpening something on a hone or whetstone.

   The precision alignment of the cutting machine’s knife is not affected by the honing of the sharp edge.

2. the act or process of improving or perfecting a skill, program, idea, etc..

   In the third and fourth years the emphasis is on advanced training, with further honing of skills and attainment of competency.

---

adjective

1. serving to sharpen or perfect.

   It is always a honing experience for us to come here and answer your questions—we leave a little sharper than we were before.

Etymology

Origin of honing

First recorded in 1790–1800; hone ¹ + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; hone ¹ + -ing ² for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

honing

The 19-year-old, sporting a budding beard, usually operates from home, filling lulls by watching the TV show Criminal Minds or honing his drone-flying skills on a simulator.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

Schools sharpen students’ thinking and research skills, he noted, but higher education hasn’t been as good at honing students’ applied skills — and for AI, that includes knowing when to responsibly use the technology.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026

By drawing a young audience and honing in on original storytelling, these two horror films are clearing a new path in Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026

Some Ukrainian units have been honing new counterattacking tactics that combine drones and infantry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

At the Four-foot SPT, Mary Jackson conducted tests of the Apollo capsule and other components, honing their fitness for the portion of the journey that would take place in the supersonic speed regime.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly