Is it ‘Home In’ or ‘Hone In’?
Is it home in or hone in?
Where does home in come from?
This is a subject of some debate in English. Traditionally, the word home in was used to describe targeting something and moving closer to it. Apparently, the verb originates from homing pigeons in the 19th century.
To home in
To home in is a phrasal verb that means to target something and move closer to it. The official definition from the Oxford Dictionary is to move or be aimed towards (a target or destination) with great accuracy; focus attention on. For example:
✅ Can we home in on the key takeaways from the lesson?
✅ We have decided to home in on these two streets for the campaign.
To hone
This is where things get interesting.
Usually, to hone means to sharpen something in a physical sense (like a blade), or to refine and perfect something in a more abstract way (like skills, a performance, etc.). For example:
✅ He’s been honing his magic performance for three years.
✅ I want to hone my writing skills until I’m the best copywriter in the company.
