focus

1 of 2

noun

fo·​cus ˈfō-kəs How to pronounce focus (audio)
plural foci ˈfō-ˌsī How to pronounce focus (audio)
 also  -ˌkī
also focuses
1
a
: a center of activity, attraction, or attention
the focus of the meeting was drug abuse
put immigration into focus as a hot topic for commentators
b
: a point of concentration
2
: directed attention : emphasis
The focus is on helping the homeless.
3
a
: direction sense 6c
the team lost focus
b
: a state or condition permitting clear perception or understanding
tried to bring the issues into focus
c
: adjustment for distinct vision
also : the area that may be seen distinctly or resolved into a clear image
4
a
: a point at which rays (as of light, heat, or sound) converge or from which they diverge or appear to diverge
specifically : the point where the geometrical lines or their prolongations conforming to the rays diverging from or converging toward another point intersect and give rise to an image after reflection by a mirror or refraction by a lens or optical system
b
: a point of convergence (see convergence sense 1) of a beam of particles (such as electrons)
5
: one of the fixed points that with the corresponding directrix defines a conic section
6
: a localized area of disease or the chief site of a generalized disease or infection
7
: the place of origin of an earthquake or moonquake
focusless adjective

focus

2 of 2

verb

focused also focussed; focusing also focussing

transitive verb

1
: to cause to be concentrated
focused their attention on the most urgent problems
2
a
: to adjust the focus of (the eye, a lens, etc.)
focus the telescope
b
: to bring into focus
The results of that research were focused for classroom presentation.
3
: to bring (something, such as light rays) to a focus : concentrate

intransitive verb

1
: to concentrate attention or effort
focus on the most pressing needs
2
: to adjust one's eye or a camera to a particular range
Newborn babies cannot focus for several months.
3
: to come to a focus : converge
focusable adjective
focuser noun
Phrases
in focus
: having or giving the proper sharpness of outline due to good focusing
get the binoculars in focus
out of focus
: not in focus

Did you know?

The Latin word focus meant “hearth, fireplace.” In the scientific Latin of the 17th century, the word is used to refer to the point at which rays of light refracted by a lens converge. Because rays of sunlight when directed by a magnifying glass can produce enough heat to ignite paper, a word meaning “fireplace” is quite appropriate as a metaphor to describe their convergence point. From this sense of focus have arisen extended senses such as “center of activity.”

Examples of focus in a Sentence

Noun He's successful, but he feels that his life lacks focus. His life lacks a focus. Verb She has an amazing ability to focus for hours at a time. I wasn't able to focus the camera. I wasn't able to get the camera to focus.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Its focus: kids who have lost a dear one to suicide. Georgea Kovanis, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 The company refers to the operation as a biorefinery, reflecting its beyond-ethanol focus on clean-energy products and other marketable grain biproducts. Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 Impression-management focus is associated with lower life satisfaction as well as higher envy, self-handicapping, and social anxiety. Talia Varley, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Now, as a doctorate student at Scripps Research, his focus is on chemistry and protein engineering to empower our immune system against diseases like cancer. Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 As the last flight of the Gemini program, the mission’s main focus was on testing techniques needed for getting to the moon. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 When shopping for toothpaste for your child, your main focus should be finding something that cleans teeth and helps prevent cavities. Jessica Booth, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024 Those feelings get more specific when, after 30 minutes, the focus narrows on Henry, a previously reluctant sharer at the campfire. Jesse Green, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Other states who are prioritizing the reskilling and upskilling of people over the age of 25 as a core element of meeting their economic goals should look to Michigan’s joint focus on adult access and success as a blueprint for a more comprehensive and effective way to build a stronger workforce. Matt Gandal, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Two new 500e models with unconventional names were unveiled this week in connection with a climate conference in Miami, and both are focused on the Stellantis brand’s Italian sensibility. Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press, 13 Mar. 2024 Tips for reducing workplace overload by focusing on longer-term quality of effort. Becky Meloan, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Dollar Tree, which focuses more on middle-income shoppers in suburbs, bought Family Dollar in 2015 for $8.5 billion. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has not yet committed to putting it on the floor and some senators are hesitant to focus on just one social media platform. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 The success allowed Kemp and Jackson to build out an entire franchise and launched a succession of series focused on some of the original show’s main characters. Damien Scott, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 However, most of these jobs will be in the white-collar sector, focusing on more mundane and repetitive tasks. Gideon Kimbrell, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 This win ensures that Trump has plenty of leeway to transform the GOP operation - including fundraising - to his liking and focus on a rematch with President Joe Biden. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 The artistic director has also been focusing on selecting series that haven’t been shown elsewhere. Marta Balaga, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'focus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

New Latin, from Latin, hearth

First Known Use

Noun

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of focus was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near focus

Cite this Entry

“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

focus

1 of 2 noun
fo·​cus ˈfō-kəs How to pronounce focus (audio)
plural foci -ˌsī How to pronounce focus (audio) also focuses
1
: a point at which rays (as of light, heat, or sound) meet or from which they draw apart or appear to draw apart
especially : the point at which an image is formed by a mirror, lens, or optical system
2
b
: adjustment (as of the eye or binoculars) for clear vision
bring into focus
3
: one of the two points within an ellipse the sum of whose distances from any point on the ellipse is a constant number
4
: a center of activity or interest
5
: the starting point of an earthquake

focus

2 of 2 verb
focused also focussed; focusing also focussing
1
a
: to bring into focus
b
: to adjust the focus of
focus a telescope
2
: to cause to be concentrated
focus attention on a problem
3
: to bring to a focus
focus rays of light
4
: to come to a focus
5
: to adjust one's eye or a camera to a certain range

Medical Definition

focus

1 of 2 noun
fo·​cus ˈfō-kəs How to pronounce focus (audio)
plural foci
ˈfō-ˌsī also -ˌkī
also focuses
1
a
: a point at which rays (as of light, heat, or sound) converge or from which they diverge or appear to diverge
specifically : the point where the geometrical lines or their prolongations conforming to the rays diverging from or converging toward another point intersect and give rise to an image after reflection by a mirror or refraction by a lens or optical system
b
: a point of convergence of a beam of particles (as electrons)
2
b
: adjustment for distinct vision
also : the area that may be seen distinctly or resolved into a clear image
3
: a localized area of disease or the chief site of a generalized disease or infection

focus

2 of 2 verb
focused also focussed; focusing also focussing

transitive verb

1
: to bring (as light rays) to a focus
2
a
: to adjust the focus of (as the eye or a lens)
b
: to bring (as an image) into focus

intransitive verb

1
: to come to a focus
2
: to adjust one's eye or a camera to a particular range
focusable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on focus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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