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
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.
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Recent Examples of focus
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s search for the pilot focused on a mountainous region in the country’s southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.
—Sam Mednick, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Aguirre, a crusading force in bringing attention to the pollution crisis alongside her predecessor, Serge Dedina, continues to push for solutions from her new post — groundwork that has given the city’s current leadership room to widen its focus.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
Their work focuses on enabling bamboo-frame drones to operate reliably without sacrificing stability or precision.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Saturday’s search for the pilot focused on a mountainous region in the country’s southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.
—Sam Mednick, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
Keaton Wagler, shooting with a look of easy focus.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Aguirre, a crusading force in bringing attention to the pollution crisis alongside her predecessor, Serge Dedina, continues to push for solutions from her new post — groundwork that has given the city’s current leadership room to widen its focus.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
-
Amenities like a pharmacy and a minute clinic, daycare centers, senior centers and even hardware stores that concentrate on the needs of downtown residents.—
John Mannillo,
Twin Cities,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Equal weight should be given to non-AI companies where fundamentals remain strong and market dynamics have become more favorable as capital concentrates elsewhere.—
Matt Witheiler,
Fortune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rising electricity rates have been a fault line in recent campaigns, especially as enormous data centers are built to power artificial intelligence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Hager, who worked at three ARC centers during the span of nearly a decade, said those kinds of groups that ARC billed for were the standard and forging group notes was common.—
Alex Acquisto,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Pilots learn to navigate using maps and compasses, as well as natural cues such as stars and terrain features including rivers, bridges and other landmarks to orient themselves and move toward friendly forces.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Details like this serve to remind you that the compass of the inn’s ethos firmly points to the island and its deep history.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Diridon Station is now a hub for VTA’s buses and light-rail trains, Caltrain and Amtrak — and one day it may be announced as a stop for BART and high-speed rail.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each season brings brings with it a seemingly impossible comeback that ends up defining the direction of fashion.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Skafafell National Park is a 24-minute drive in the other direction from the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Even as China remains one of Iran’s biggest diplomatic allies, President Xi Jinping’s support for the Islamic Republic is being constrained by a vast trail of Chinese capital across the Gulf.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The capital murder trial of Tanner Horner entered its second day on Wednesday, and the jury watched several hours of video showing law enforcement interrogation of Horner and the discovery of 7-year-old Athena Strand’s body.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What's new is using criminal prosecutors for partisan purposes -- and there's no quotes about that in the case.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
That is leading people to lean on their faith for meaning and purpose.—
Marissa Sulek,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tullman’s new complex will, of course, hardly stand alone in a city that long has been a mecca for magic.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Las Vegas is a mecca for cuisines from around the world, including Mexican, but Cantina Contramar is arguably the most significant opening by a Mexican chef in the city.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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