No, a honing rod is actually not a sharpener at all. A lot of people confuse honing knives for sharpeners because honing knives are often included in sets. You’ve probably seen celebrity chefs use one as well. It definitely looks like they’re sharpening their blade, but they’re not.
Whereas a sharpener actually removes pieces of steel to sharpen a blade, a honing tool actually straightens your blade without removing any pieces of steel. Your knife will probably cut better afterward though, making it seem as if it has actually been sharpened. For best use, you will probably want a sharpener and a honing rod, especially for higher-end knives that cost more money upfront.