Thesaurus results for FOCUS

focus 1 of 2

verb

Definition of focus

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

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

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

As the next election approaches, so much attention is focused on whether Democrats or Republicans will hold the majority in Congress. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026 Blue-chip auction house Christie’s on September 23 revealed the launch of a new division focused on sales of pop culture memorabilia, Artnews reports. — News Desk, Artforum, 24 Sep. 2026

Noun

The space showcases 37 jewelry brands, including 11 exclusives, with a focus on demi-fine and fashion-forward designs. — Virginia Corneli, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 This popular ideology utilizes five-minute breaks after 25 minutes of uninterrupted work to increase focus. — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for focus

Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus

Verb

Originally, the area’s entrepreneurs and investors concentrated on the computer hardware, software, and network industries.

— Andrew McAfee, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026
Marketers can concentrate media spend on the buyers most likely to convert, which can improve efficiency and ROI.

— Thomas Zawacki, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of concentrate

Noun

These districts can be established within a city, county or cooperative area to create economic development projects like industrial sites, research facilities, job-training centers and distribution hubs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
The center will test uncrewed platforms under realistic operational conditions and threats, including degraded or denied communication environments.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of center

Noun

These districts can be established within a city, county or cooperative area to create economic development projects like industrial sites, research facilities, job-training centers and distribution hubs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Nearly a quarter of the world’s internet traffic reportedly passes through northern Virginia; London is largely served by two hubs in the Docklands and Slough.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of hub

Noun

Rare electrical behavior Antiferroelectric materials contain electric dipoles that naturally point in opposite directions.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
The Full Moon in your sign puts your identity, desires, and personal direction under a bright light, making old compromises harder to maintain automatically.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of direction

Noun

The water level of a major reservoir supplying the bustling capital city of Jakarta -- the world's biggest metropolis -- is dropping inch by inch.

— EDNA TARIGAN, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Indeed, stocks have rocketed to record highs in recent years thanks to all the capital tied to the emergence of artificial intelligence, with investors looking to gain exposure to the trend.

— Fred Imbert, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of capital

Noun

Unsurprisingly, developers creating single-purpose spaces placed controls on them, and not only racial ones.

— Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Banks support off-balance sheet arrangements, such as special purpose vehicles, between private creditors and hyperscalers, which is raising concerns about systemic stability, especially in light of contractual activations.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 Sep. 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

Style

“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of focus

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

argot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes