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
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025
The survey focused specifically on time taken off that excludes sick leave, doctor's appointments—instead honing in on time explicitly set aside for personal well-being and leisure.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Apr. 2025
Other hot zones to hone in on: your junk drawer, your coffee-mug collection, and toy bins in your kid’s room.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2025
Its maiden and hero product, Rested, hones in on sleep as the fundamental step to optimizing cognitive and immune function.
—Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 1 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 28 Apr. 2025.
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