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
Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The scientists emphasized that their work focuses on fundamental research and development of wide-bandgap devices designed for top cells in tandem solar cells.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026
NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Trees should be a focus, Anderson said, with the most effective watering applied on the ground in a radius from the trunk all the way out to the tips of the branches.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
As shown in a trailer that Variety can exclusively unveil, the film features interviews with people all over the United States who discuss the the concept of the American Dream, focusing especially on their ideas about work, opportunity, technology and community.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The scientists emphasized that their work focuses on fundamental research and development of wide-bandgap devices designed for top cells in tandem solar cells.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
So that’s going to be an increasing focus of our military going forward.
—NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Trees should be a focus, Anderson said, with the most effective watering applied on the ground in a radius from the trunk all the way out to the tips of the branches.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
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Chesterton’s Isabel Durkin said concentrating data centers where green energy is already available offers a disincentive for investing in new renewable energy sources and threatens the water supply in those areas.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Jones, whose novel Kin has just been released, is often described as a timely writer, but to concentrate only on the contemporary urgency of her books is to ignore her clear interest in the past and its conventions.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Voikietaitis' dominance was a theme all night as the sophomore center from Lithuania grabbed as many rebounds (11) as the Cougars had as a team in the first half.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Already the conflict has seen hundreds killed, with a blast at a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul on March 16, 2026, killing more than 400 people, according to Afghanistan’s Taliban government.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When thoughts race, breathe slowly and trust your inner compass to organize your feelings before responding.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The mythic dimension may be missing here, but Holmes darkly captivates within the narrower compass of this energizing revival.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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The combination creates one of the world’s largest independent studios with major creative hubs in the five continents and capabilities spanning all genres and formats.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The nation is moving in two starkly different directions, with states such as Oklahoma, South Carolina and Kentucky phasing out their income tax to attract businesses and population.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Activists reported hearing strikes around Iran's capital.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
-
This includes an erstwhile Democrat who spent considerable time and political capital on the issue.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Most of the money went to the nonprofit Viet America Society for a meals program for seniors and the disabled, but only a fraction was spent for that purpose, according to Do’s plea agreement in 2024.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
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However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The tech mecca has slowly begun to emerge from one of the country’s deepest declines in downtown retail, in part through a program that peppered the city with subsidized pop-up shops.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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Each January, that stillness is interrupted by the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, transforming a quiet alpine town, Davos, into a mecca of power.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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