I was recently proofreading an essay for a client when I noticed the following sentence:
“Working at the center would allow me to explore different types of advocacy before honing in on the field best suited to my skills.”
Did you catch that? It’s subtle and it may seem minor, but it completely changes the meaning of the sentence. I almost missed it during my review.
“Home in” and “hone in” are phrases that are often used interchangeably, but they carry distinct meanings. Let’s explore the origins, meanings, and appropriate contexts for using the two terms.
“Home in” or “Hone in”: Origins and Meanings
Home in on: The phrase “home in” has its roots in early 20th-century technology and navigation. Originally, it referred to the process of guiding aircraft or missiles to a target using radio signals.
The imagery is quite literal—like a homing pigeon instinctively finding its way back, “home in” suggests a direct and precise movement towards a goal or destination.
Hone in on: The evolution of “hone in” is a bit more contentious. “Hone” alone means to sharpen or perfect something, such as honing a skill or a knife. Therefore, “hone in” seems to have emerged from a blending of “hone” and “home in,” likely due to their phonetic similarity and the overlap in the idea of narrowing or focusing.
Some argue that “hone in” is a malapropism, an incorrect usage that gained traction. But it’s become commonly used, especially in American English, to indicate the process of refining or focusing one’s efforts or attention, and isn’t that how new words and phrases are added to our lexicon?
Basically, “home in” is about directional accuracy and focus, while “hone in” is associated with improvement and refinement. This distinction is key to employing each phrase in its appropriate context, so let’s go over when to use them.
When to Use “Home in”
“Home in” should be used when you’re talking about directing attention, efforts, or movement towards a specific goal, target, or location with precision and accuracy.
So, in the example I provided in the introduction:
“Working at the center would allow me to explore different types of advocacy before homing in on the field best suited to my skills.”
In this instance, “homing in” is the correct phrase since my client was describing narrowing down an advocacy field.
Here’s another example:
“After reviewing the quarterly sales data, the team decided to home in on the most promising markets for expansion.”
In this scenario, “home in” correctly implies that the team is focusing its efforts and resources towards specific markets identified as opportunities, based on the analysis of sales data
When to Use “Hone in”
The use of “hone in” is appropriate when discussing the improvement, refinement, or sharpening of skills, abilities, strategies, or ideas.
While its usage is sometimes debated, especially in professional writing, “hone in” has become widely accepted in contexts where the focus is on making something better or more precise rather than moving towards a specific target.
For instance:
“As the competition approaches, the athlete hones in on her technique to improve her performance.”
In this example, “hone in” aptly describes the athlete’s process of refining her technique. The focus is on improvement and precision, ensuring that every movement contributes to a better overall performance.
Here’s another example:
“The company is honing in on customer service to differentiate itself from competitors.”
Here, “hone in” is used to convey the company’s strategy of refining and improving its customer service. The intention is to make their service superior, distinguishing the company from its competitors.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it! “Home in” vs “hone in” isn’t as complicated as you might think. “Home in” directs us towards a goal with precision. “Hone in” is about refining what we do to make it better.
When we say we’re “homing in” on a solution, we’re zeroing in on it. Saying we’re “honing in” on our writing skills means we’re improving them.
So, next time you’re in a situation where either phrase could work, remember their distinct meanings. Use “home in” to express direction and focus. Use “hone in” when talking about improvement. It’s that simple!
Want more grammar tips? Check out my article on eggcorns.