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
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Style it as the focal point in a blue bedroom, use it to liven up a white bedroom with soft neutrals, or focus on the blooms in yellow and hints of soft pink that can pair with warmer colors to tie the space together.
—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 July 2026
The changing rhetoric comes as elections approach, putting more focus on domestic issues.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Verb
The segment of its agricultural business focusing on large farms, where sales slumped 14% in Q1, and management sees slipping 5% to 10% this year, according to the company’s latest earnings presentation.
—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Style it as the focal point in a blue bedroom, use it to liven up a white bedroom with soft neutrals, or focus on the blooms in yellow and hints of soft pink that can pair with warmer colors to tie the space together.
—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
Noun
Mining will serve as the partnership’s initial focus before expanding into other industrial applications.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 July 2026
The changing rhetoric comes as elections approach, putting more focus on domestic issues.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Verb
-
Control concentrated in one person dies with that person, decays with that person's judgment, and converts to cash the day that person takes a hard enough offer.
-
Unlike Chicago, San Francisco or Philadelphia, Charlotte doesn’t have a historic LGBTQ district, and its bars and businesses remain scattered across neighborhoods rather than concentrated in one area.
Noun
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Neto bobbled the ball for an error, though, and Contreras crushed Johnson’s next pitch for his 20th homer, a 446-foot shot to left-center that left his bat at 112 mph and gave Boston a 5-3 lead.
-
The incident happened less than a week after another child was found dead inside a car at a Plantation early learning center last Monday.
Noun
-
Atop the Go board there lies a compass whose dials swing chaotically.
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The Ti-Trailblazer takes a unique approach by making a compass its main feature and building 10 additional tools around it.
Noun
-
Shenzhen already has a reputation as one of China's major technology hubs.
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Deep Light is, of course, not the only hub for cinematographers and aspiring cinematographers online.
Noun
-
Follow the specific directions from your doctor and the exact type of medicine, first and foremost.
-
The 2026 Honor Marching Band and Color Guard, under the direction of Boise State professor Phil Hartman, filled the air with festive tunes in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
Noun
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The action required is not cultural goodwill but actual capital, flowing from institutions, from investors, and from women with wealth toward the work of building these tables.
-
Downtown Sacramento was awash in Dodger blue as thousands of fans poured into the capital city for a three-game series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the A’s that concludes Wednesday.
Noun
-
There were other reminders as well, some less subtle than others, of the true purpose of Congress.
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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.
Noun
-
As one of the darkest spots in the lower 48, Grand Staircase-Escalante is also a mecca for stargazers, with much of its acreage ranked as Bortle Class 1—meaning that on clear nights the Milky Way is bright enough to cast noticeable shadows and even appears to have three dimensions.
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Catawba County, along with other parts of North Carolina, have become a mecca for data center construction as demand for AI tools has increased.
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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