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
Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2025
The course is all about immersing students into the significance of wine beyond the glass and to view it as an agricultural product that livelihoods rely on; to showcase this, Suckling hones in on the stories and personalities behind some of Tuscany’s iconic vineyards.
—Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
The 2022 release hones in on an industrial-sounding synth, marked with sporadic, sci-fi sounds all while Komai energetically shouts in the background.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Browns general manager Andrew Berry likened him to Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hitting-and-pitching superstar, prompting speculation that Cleveland was honing in on Hunter.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hone in
Cite this Entry
“Hone in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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