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
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Can’t focus on this for too long.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 Oct. 2025
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
While the patient is the focus, the caregiver sets the tone for the conversation with the doctor.
—Kat McGowan, NPR, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
By focusing on the methods used by Haitians living outside of urban environments to survive under slavery, colonialism, and now global modernity, Casimir shifts our focus away from the traditional subjects of Haitian historiography, the elites and those who recorded their histories.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Can’t focus on this for too long.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
Verdicchi, who joined the company in early 2023, said that Sunspel’s focus on international growth.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
While the patient is the focus, the caregiver sets the tone for the conversation with the doctor.
—Kat McGowan, NPR, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
-
Difficulty concentrating is a common complaint among people experiencing SAD, Justin Puder, PhD, a psychologist based in Boca Raton, Florida, tells SELF.—
Maggie O'Neill,
SELF,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Andrew Morton — whose latest book, Winston and the Windsors, charts the formidable Churchill’s working relationship with the royal family for several decades — says one thing shone through, enabling him to concentrate on the institution rather than the person.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When the cremation center staff asked what happened, the partner admitted Aria had been killed by a larger dog.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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The concerns center on the potential enforcement of the state-wide ban on camping in public spaces ushered in by the Safer Kentucky Act, our Killian Baarlaer reports.—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Each garment comes with a dedicated black badge with a blue compass logo, as well as nickel shank badge buttons.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The car featured three particularly unique elements — the ashtray, the 'suicide knob' on the steering wheel, and the compass.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Situated at the northeastern tip of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend was once a renowned port of entry and lumber shipping hub.—
Noreen Kompanik,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Gathering Communist Party elites will review China’s upcoming five-year plan, an economic blueprint whose direction is strictly dictated by top leadership in the authoritarian state.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Then, pick a patch of sky 40 degrees away in the direction of your local zenith, which is the point directly above your head.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
To prove their point, the researchers analyzed 46 years’ worth of venture-capital startup investments, among other data points.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The project, called the MARS-V Project, is under development by MARS-V, a non-governmental organization based in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.—
Rosanna Philpott,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Swets, who has expertise with special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), formed Greenland Exploration with his investment and merchant banking firm, FG Nexus, and agreed to merge with March GL and find a suitable SPAC to take the company public.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Sea lines of communication, or SLOCs, are the principal maritime routes between ports used for trade, military or other purposes.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After all, the Moroccan city is one of the world's great shopping meccas.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Oct. 2025
-
New York City remains the cocktail mecca of the Americas, with four Big Apple bars making this year’s list, including the East Village’s Superbueno (rising 15 places to 12), the West Village’s Sip & Guzzle (39), the Lower East Side’s Double Chicken Please (41), and FiDi’s Overstory (46).—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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