focused

1 of 2

adjective

fo·​cused ˈfō-kəst 

1

: having clear and definite goals and ambitions

a focused and determined individual

… has come into training camp highly focused and motivated.

—Steve Reed

2

: giving attention and effort to a specific task or goal

making a focused effort to win support for the proposal

… a focused approach that targets the individual needs of students.

—Dave Berns

3

: having or giving the proper sharpness of outline due to good focusing : in focus

The team uses computer software to stitch the photographs together into a single focused image …

—Erik Olsen

4

: brought to a point of concentration or convergence

… a focused, steerable beam of charged atoms …

—Jon Orloff

focused

2 of 2

past tense of focus entry 2

Examples of focused in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Burnham's spokesperson brushed aside the threat and said the prime minister strongly believes in the union and was more focused on lowering the cost of living than dealing with constitutional debates. — Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

Specialized work rarely offers instant gratification, and the people who succeed are usually those who can remain focused through the frustrating early stages of learning. — Matthew Darienzo, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Christina Oster-Daum, the German beauty company’s cofounder and president, credits its sustained growth to remaining focused on that mission. — Wwd Staff, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Tensions remain despite devolution of power Burnham’s spokesperson brushed aside the threat and said the prime minister strongly believes in the union and was more focused on lowering the cost of living than dealing with constitutional debates. — Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of focus entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for focused

• refocused
• unfocused
• focussed
• locust