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

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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
Some ETFs focus on sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology or oil and gas. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 Later, in retirement, Collins focused on giving back through teaching, serving on corporate and nonprofit boards, and philanthropy. — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 8 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
  • Disappointingly, her screenplay proceeds to unfold in a procession of frustrating get-outs and compromises, repeatedly choosing the least interesting or challenging direction to take this would-be throuple.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Also back here is a dual-pattern power supply mount with two captive screws that serve one of the two supported mounting directions.
    — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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