to focus

Examples

• All

• What the walkouts did... it focused the attention now on the Chicanos in the city... because these kids were serious.

  Walkout (2006)

• The officer's red-rimmed eyes had difficulty focusing on the man who stood before him.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Here we're going to focus just on this particular treatment.

• Try to focus your eyes.

  Speed of Life (1999)

• You know, we need to focus on better diet.

• I'm going to focus it right on the center.

• Since the 1970s, many liberal arts colleges have survived by focusing on career training and professional education.

  Academic text (1999)

• Solar cookers, which focus sunlight to heat food, have had a mixed history.

  Academic text (2011)

• Since then, with much-expanded Afghan security forces, it has focused on securing those places.

  Academic text (2011)

• Please try to focus your camera lens to capture a clearer picture.

Synonyms

S

to sharpen

vsto focus

26 3.1

To make an idea, image, or argument clearer and more precise

means specifically bringing light or images together at a point

F

to focalize

vsto focus

• Specialized

8.4

To change a lens so an image becomes clear

brings rays or images together at a point using optics

F

to foveate

vsto focus

• Specialized

9.9

To focus the eyes or a camera on a point so you see it very clearly

brings rays or images together at a point, not only by eye movement

Antonyms

S

to scatter

110 2.7

To make people or animals move quickly in different directions

B

to blur

61 3.6

To make something hard to see or understand

Idioms

I

in focus

18 3.3

Clear and easy to see or understand when people pay attention to it

Phrasal Verbs

F

to focus on

∞ 2.0

Give most attention and effort to one person or task

S

to shift focus

14 3.8

Change what you pay attention to

F

to focus on

• Specialized

6 3.3

Make a field or button ready to receive keyboard input

S

to sharpen focus

4.0

To make your attention clearer and stronger

Compounds

S

steely-eyed focus

7.0

Strong, steady attention that shows determination

How Sharp

to pinpoint

123 4.0

to sharpen

26 3.1

to focus

• Specialized

219 3.8

to blur

61 3.6

to defocus

6.1

Surface Forms

Etymology