focus

The person or thing that receives most attention or effort.

• Health is our main focus.
• The children became the focus of the discussion.
• What is the focus of your research?

How to use it: focus of something (The river is the focus of our study.)

Similar words: centre of attention, main subject

Common phrases: main focus, focus of attention, central focus

Careful attention that you give to what you are doing.

• I lost my focus.
• This job requires complete focus.
• A short break helped him regain his focus.

How to use it: focus on something (Her focus on the task impressed me.)

Similar words: concentration, attention

Opposites: distraction

Common phrases: lose focus, maintain focus, focus on something

The state of an image being clear enough to see its details.

• The picture is in focus.
• Her face was out of focus.
• Check the focus before taking another photo.

Similar words: sharpness, clarity

Opposites: blur

Common phrases: in focus, out of focus, sharp focus

The point where rays of light meet after passing through a lens or reflecting from a surface.

• The rays meet at the focus.
• The mirror directs light toward its focus.
• We measured the distance from the lens to its focus.

Similar words: focal point

Common phrases: focus of something, principal focus, real focus

The place below the ground where an earthquake begins.

• The earthquake had a deep focus.
• Scientists located the focus beneath the coast.
• Waves spread outward from the focus.

Similar words: hypocentre

Common phrases: earthquake focus, shallow focus, deep focus

If you do this, you give your attention to one particular thing.

• Please focus on your work.
• She focused on every word he said.
• I cannot focus when the television is on.

How to use it: focus on something (Please focus on the next question.); focus attention on something (Focus your attention on the road.)

Similar words: concentrate

Common phrases: focus on something, focus your attention, focus on work

If a camera or lens does this, or you adjust it, it produces a clear image.

• The camera will focus automatically.
• He focused the lens before taking the picture.
• Can you focus on the bird?

How to use it: focus on someone/something (The camera focused on her face.)

Common phrases: focus a camera, focus on something, focus the lens, focus a microscope

If you do this, you direct your effort, energy, or words toward a particular goal or audience.

• Focus your energy on finding a solution.
• The company focused its resources on a new product.
• She focused her remarks on the needs of families.

How to use it: focus something on someone/something (We focused our campaign on young voters.)

Similar words: direct, concentrate

Common phrases: focus efforts on, focus resources on, focus a campaign