focus 1 of 2

verb

Definition of focusnext
as in to concentrate
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective try to focus your attention on the task at hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

focus

2 of 2

noun

ˈfō-kəs How to pronounce focus (audio)
1
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest in the 19th century Paris was the focus of the art world

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a wildlife conservation organization that seems to have lost its focus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of focus
Verb
Instead of focusing only on wealth, nonprofits should identify individuals or organizations whose values, interests and past giving reflect a genuine connection to the mission. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Paula Schneider, the CEO of the Institute Advancing Women’s Health, a global nonprofit that focuses on improving women’s clinical care in midlife and after, noted that there is a lag in adopting new knowledge in clinical practice. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
For Pruitt, the what’s next will be a focus on comfort, a shoe that lightweight and breathable, and with some performance aspects in the sneaker. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms tried to make President Donald Trump the focus of one of the debate’s sharpest clashes. — AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
  1. concentrate
  2. center
  3. compass
  4. hub
  5. direction
  6. capital
  7. purpose
  8. mecca
Verb
  • But the latest release — though unlikely to materially affect the results of the upcoming election — once again concentrates attention on Tinubu’s time in the US.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Just as a still concentrates a large batch of weak liquid into a smaller batch of strong stuff, AI distillation condenses a big model into a smaller one that, ideally, acts like the original.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of concentrate
Noun
  • For years, hospitals have been buying and building outpatient centers, and then funneling more care to them.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • An institution built explicitly to neutralize biological catastrophes is now at the center of one.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • Some cities use a grid that's aligned not with the compass but with local geography, like waterways or mountains.
    — Bill Chappell, NPR, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Think vintage navy portholes, ship compasses, and aircraft fuselage.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of compass
Noun
  • Not to be outdone, Celsius, another prominent energy drink, has partnered with ESPN to sponsor College GameDay, the hub of the let’s-have-fun-and-watch-TV-sports-all-day movement.
    — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • DriVe2X sees potential applications in mobility hubs, apartment buildings, and single-family houses.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of hub
Noun
  • Our research is already leading in new directions beyond ancient interiors.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The team notes that this version uses one cell line, muscle fibers aligned in one direction and simple shapes.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of direction
Noun
  • Otthon Centrum analyst Gábor Soóki-Tóth said Tihany is one of the most expensive places in Hungary to buy a vacation property — with prices outstripping those in the nation's capital.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the island's capital city, Naha, early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • Other independents in the Senate, including Maine's Angus King on the moderate end and Vermont's Bernie Sanders on the left, caucus with Democrats for organizational purposes and committee assignments.
    — NICHOLAS INGRAM, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • These varietals are not only tolerant to the high desert environment, but they were also planted with the sole purpose of conserving water and controlling run-off.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of purpose
Noun
  • Named for the massive cliffs that stretch across 32 miles of shoreline, Calvert Cliffs is also a mecca for fossil hunters.
    — Katie Riley, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But for lovers of all things sweet and creamy, Cheesecake Funk is today a veritable mecca for those in the know.
    — David Farley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of mecca

Browse Nearby Words

foci
focus
focused
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All