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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of focus
Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 6 June 2026
The Allies went to extraordinary lengths to deceive the enemy, suggesting that the attack would focus on the Pas-de-Calais, the narrowest point of the English Channel.
—Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Kiara Moore, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2026
As Georgia's 2026 gubernatorial race begins to take shape, Black voter turnout is expected to remain a focus for both parties.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
Most humanoid robots are still performative rather than functional, falling short of working in messy, unpredictable environments, said Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at the New America think tank focused on Chinese technology.
—Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 6 June 2026
The Allies went to extraordinary lengths to deceive the enemy, suggesting that the attack would focus on the Pas-de-Calais, the narrowest point of the English Channel.
—Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Noun
Despite the recognition, Burns said her focus remains on helping others rather than drawing attention to herself.
—Kiara Moore, The Washington Examiner, 7 June 2026
As Georgia's 2026 gubernatorial race begins to take shape, Black voter turnout is expected to remain a focus for both parties.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
-
But the rally has become increasingly concentrated in a handful of heavyweight technology names, particularly memory-chip maker SK Hynix and electronics giant Samsung Electronics.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
These are staggering numbers amounting to 2%–3% of GDP, made all the more striking by how few hands they are concentrated in.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
At the center of the case was Gavin Arvizo, a then-15-year-old cancer survivor from Los Angeles.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
-
An employee has died at the United States Postal Service's metro Atlanta distribution center, officials have confirmed with CBS News Atlanta.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
In truth, my compass spun in search of whiskey and other spirits, looking for how these spirits illuminated a culture.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Through a series of flight and lab experiments, researchers found pigeons can use special cells in their liver as an internal compass.—
Kasha Patel,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
Archer is scaling for the mega sporting event and attempting to build an operational hub for the area's impending air taxi network.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Reid plays this so well, but the direction is a little over the top, with drug-trip visuals that are too distracting to follow the dense-as-ever disjointed narration.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
The suspect appeared to fire a gun indiscriminately in the direction of several people and then ran back toward the apartments, Perez said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
There’s a chance that the aurora borealis will appear in the sky above Idaho’s capital city on Thursday, June 4, according to the National Weather Service.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
5 June 2026
-
Amsterdam was once widely treated as the gay capital of Europe, with a lively scene around Reguliersdwarsstraat that turned the city into an international hub in the late twentieth century.—
Jurriaan Teulings,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
My novel is about that sea-change and the search for purpose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
While there is nothing particularly Jordanian about the design, the interiors serve multiple purposes for visiting business travelers and tourists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Don’t Count on It Computex is a mecca for the classic desktop PC.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2026
-
As anyone who's come within a hundred miles of the city will tell you, Nashville is a live-music mecca, overflowing with boot-stomping, fiddle-playing entertainment.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
