View synonyms for

hone in

[hohn in]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb phrase

to focus one’s attention more narrowly or precisely on a particular task, issue, etc. (usually followed byon ).
When we started looking for a condo, our agent took time with us to hone in on what we really wanted and needed.
They run a workshop to help you hone in and understand the parts of the software that are most relevant for you.
to find, reach, or strike a target in a precise way, as with a camera, weapon, location device, or other instrument (usually followed byon ).
They’re working to improve cameras that can hone in on a single object or pick a person out of a crowd.

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Usage

Although increasingly common even in educated speech and writing, the expression hone in is in fact a corruption of home in. Home in was used originally of weapons moving toward their target (or “home”) under the control of an automatic aiming mechanism, and became a metaphor for focusing one’s attention on an objective. The similarity in sound between home and hone , and the fact that the basic meaning of the verb hone is “to sharpen,” explain why people use hone in when they’re thinking about “sharpening” their focus or aim. Style guides criticize this use, however, and careful speakers and writers will avoid it.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of hone in¹

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“Now you’re starting to hone in on maybe some more advanced game-planning stuff, and being able to cover different parts of the zone.”

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Carney's opponents were quick to hone in on the mistakes of his unpopular predecessor, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Players hone in on their phone screens, each watching a personal three-minute highlight clip.

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“You connect with music because it connects with you. I want to focus on the connection that we can’t see or touch but can only feel. I want to hone in on how these frequencies — that I’ve created and have never existed in the world before — make people feel.”

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Once you get a stack of scripts, she said, “Read your sides for 30 minutes every day, so it’s familiar. Then you can really hone in a day or two before you film the scene. When you know your stuff, that confidence resonates with the audience.”

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