hone in
verb
George PlimptonBob GreeneLisa Russell
Hone in vs. Home in: Usage Guide
Most usage commentators consider hone in to be a mistake for home in. The use may have arisen from home in by the weakening of the \m\ sound to \n\ or it may have developed simply because of the influence of hone, with perhaps an underlying sense that "honing" figuratively involves a narrowing or sharpening of focus. Whatever the explanation of its origins, it has established itself in American English and has begun to make a few inroads into British English as well. Even so, your use of it especially in writing is likely to be called a mistake. Home in or in figurative use zero in is an easy alternative.
Examples of hone in in a Sentence
Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 23 May 2024
Babes follows suit by honing in on the bond between Glazer and Buteau, who have been friends since meeting in the New York comedy scene in the late 2000s.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2024
Though scotch connoisseurs can easily spend hefty sums on their hobby — some bars serve pours priced at more than $700 — Birds of a Feather honed in on the more affordable options.
—Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2024
Saturn is known to be the disciplinarian in the zodiac, overlooking structure, order and responsibility, so this is a great time to hone in on your foundations.
—Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 12 May 2024
Use the weeks and months before your sailing to study deck plans and hone in on your favorite amenities.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2024
After all, season 1 largely focuses on his sister Daphne while season 2 hones in on his brother Anthony.
—James Mercadante and Stephanie Kaloi, EW.com, 11 May 2024
The change may also mirror a shift in emphasis in the Republican Party: while conservatives, like those at the Cato Institute, have long focused on personal independence and limited government oversight, the right wing in recent years has honed in on election security.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2024
Frankly, the jig head and bait just hop along the bottom, not accurately imitating a specific forage that bass love to hone in on.
—Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 29 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hone in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hone in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
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