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.

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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

Beyond that, you can speak to artisans who’ve been honing their craft, in some cases, for decades.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Using an inflatable Moon globe, they practiced seeing how the angle of the sun changed the colors and textures of the lunar surface, honing their observation and note-taking skills for the big moment.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

But Palantir was only able to capitalize on the AI opportunity after over a decade of honing its FDE strategy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

Russia has been honing and testing similar infrastructure for the past year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

Garth spent his days honing her, the other keepers said.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin