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
ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, Ewing hoped that his community could focus more on the positive weekend Crawford had in his hometown after being honored with a parade.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Jack Korngold, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
His focus today is on fitness and community development.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
That always amps up the pressure a bit, but the challenging layout of the track really forced me to focus on extracting the most out of the Mustang at low and high speeds.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, Ewing hoped that his community could focus more on the positive weekend Crawford had in his hometown after being honored with a parade.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
That the students in those schools gained focus and confidence, learning to problem-solve in and out of class.
—Jack Korngold, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
His focus today is on fitness and community development.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
-
This conversation concentrates on the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as a Platonic model not only within the English language but in countless other linguistic ecosystems.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The organization takes care of the back-end logistics, from payroll and setting tuition to lobbying state legislators and navigating local zoning laws, freeing educators to concentrate on their craft.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Schiff and Levin chose a TrueCare health center on Mesa Drive in Oceanside to deliver their message.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The remaining contestants are placed in the center of a grid of 16 rooms, and asked to find the exit within 15 rounds.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Otherwise, any force will find itself without a compass or the means to deal with criminal groups.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Even the acronym of GPS jibed with her view of how a kid’s own resourcefulness could be used as an inner compass.—
Shawn Price,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And the company reports compatibility with more donor bike styles, including commuter models, fatbikes, rear-hub ebikes and step-through frames.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Lagos is known as the Algarve’s top surfing hub.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
With both teams aiming to avoid a 1–3 start, this game presents an opportunity for one to gain momentum and establish a positive direction for the rest of the season.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Don’t pull over in the roundabout Roundabouts with a single lane of traffic in each direction are fairly simple – yield to traffic in the roundabout, wait for a gap in traffic and go through, Bryson said.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested and charged with capital murder.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Jeevan Thomas, an editorial strategist with deep newsroom instincts, and Himanshu Kumar, a growth-minded technical operator, together have shown how modest capital, relentless focus on the audience, and meticulous process design can convert attention into revenue and then into meaningful exits.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The label is used in terms of law enforcement for investigative purposes and probing terrorist threats.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s novel, the film finds Lord Doyle adrift in the Eastern gambling mecca of Macau as his past and debts catch up with him.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
-
His Austin comedy club, Comedy Mothership, has been touted as a free speech mecca where comics don’t have to worry about cancel culture.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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