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
Relevance
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
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of focus
Art De Roché, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the other young player now in focus is defenseman Cam York.
—Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
Iceland’s Medieval Whale Hunters (Hakai Magazine) by Andrew Chapman
In the medieval era, most whale-hunting cultures focused on relatively small cetaceans living close to the shores.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for focus 
Noun
Instead of changing the dynamics around one of the most potent forwards in the world, focus turned to a debate that should have been settled at the turn of the decade.
—Art De Roché, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
But the other young player now in focus is defenseman Cam York.
—Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
But the social media frenzy that grew around the film’s release ultimately focused on Lively and on criticism of her.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
Iceland’s Medieval Whale Hunters (Hakai Magazine) by Andrew Chapman
In the medieval era, most whale-hunting cultures focused on relatively small cetaceans living close to the shores.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for focus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for focus
Noun
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Virginia Highland Books is in the center of beautiful, historic Virginia-Highlands, located on the corner of Virginia and N. Highland Avenues.American Booksellers Association, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
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Slowly, ideas that Xiao and his allies had propagated decades ago—the stabilizing force of the strongman and a reverence for cultural traditions—seem to have arrived in the control center of the world’s most powerful liberal democracy.Chang Che, The New Yorker, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Trust your inner compass and read on for what the sun square Neptune could mean for your zodiac sign.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
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This kit has it all, including a folding pocket knife, emergency blanket, three-setting tactical flashlight, glow-in-the-dark compass, camp fire starter, wire saw, and six-in-one survival bracelet.Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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That strategy could have led to more odd-man rushes against, the one area where Richardson had concentrated on this season, and brought minimal offensive gain.Scott Powers, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
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This drying period concentrates the sugars and flavors in the fruit, providing the foundations for a wine that, after a few years in wood, is rich, complex and capable of ageing for many years.Paul Caputo, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Lakehouses are rapidly becoming the hub for building advanced intelligence, providing a foundation for analytics and model training.Evan Kaplan, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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Join in the fun and stay just 10 minutes away from the musical hub at Floyd Family Campground, which is outfitted with premium and primitive tent sites and dry (without utilities) and full hookup RV sites.Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
Noun
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If nothing else, successive draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and City show that Dyche and his players are all still clearly pulling in the same direction despite a tough start to the season.Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
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Not wanting to offend any guests, Cast Members (Disney’s word for all park employees) indicate a direction or place with both their index finger and middle finger together.Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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New Year's Eve weather: What to expect Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand's capital Wellington and its largest city of Auckland -- both located on the country's North Island -- welcomed 2025 at 6 a.m. ET.David Brennan, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2024
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Located nearly 400 miles from Russia's capital, Smolensk shares borders with numerous regions in Russia and Belarus.George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Paul’s purpose is to make the world a better place.Paul Klein, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
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Many theories exist as to the original purpose of Stonehenge, including a burial site, astronomical observatory, religious or worship site, some sort of gesture or symbol, or a place of ritual or healing.Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Advertisement My dad’s restaurant was a mecca for movie stars and politicians, bullfighters and beautiful women.Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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Those two events reinforced his place on the island — widely considered the mecca and home of reggaeton — and won him an undeniable seal of approval from an audience that has high standards for the genre.Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near focus
Cite this Entry
“Focus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/focus. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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