[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":133},["ShallowReactive",2],{"w-focus":3},{"word":4,"pos":5,"definition":6,"senses":7,"antonyms":115,"tip":122,"faq":123},"focus","noun, verb","to give attention to one thing, or the central thing that attention is directed toward.",[8,51,86],{"label":9,"pos":10,"gloss":11,"synonyms":12},"attention center","noun","main point of attention",[13,23,29,35,40,45],{"w":14,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":16,"nuance":21,"example":22},"center",3,[17,18,19,20],"academic","business","creative","casual","more about central position than attention","The debate put housing at the center of the campaign.",{"w":24,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":26,"nuance":27,"example":28},"core",4,[17,18,19],"suggests the essential inner part","Trust is at the core of the relationship.",{"w":30,"intensity":15,"formality":31,"contexts":32,"nuance":33,"example":34},"heart",2,[19,20],"more emotional and figurative","Family is the heart of the story.",{"w":36,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":37,"nuance":38,"example":39},"focal point",[17,18,19],"more technical and precise","The proposal became the focal point of the meeting.",{"w":41,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":42,"nuance":43,"example":44},"hub",[18,20],"emphasizes activity and connection","The station is a hub for local commuters.",{"w":46,"intensity":15,"formality":47,"contexts":48,"nuance":49,"example":50},"nucleus",5,[17,18],"very formal, often abstract or scientific","These early reforms formed the nucleus of the program.",{"label":52,"pos":53,"gloss":54,"synonyms":55},"attention effort","verb","direct attention or effort",[56,61,66,71,76,81],{"w":57,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":58,"nuance":59,"example":60},"concentrate",[17,18,20],"more about sustained mental effort","I need to concentrate on this report.",{"w":62,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":63,"nuance":64,"example":65},"concentrate on",[17,18,20],"standard phrase for directing effort","We should concentrate on the most urgent tasks.",{"w":67,"intensity":25,"formality":31,"contexts":68,"nuance":69,"example":70},"zero in on",[18,20],"more vivid and targeted","The interviewer zeroed in on the weak points in her plan.",{"w":72,"intensity":25,"formality":31,"contexts":73,"nuance":74,"example":75},"home in on",[18,20],"suggests narrowing attention to a target","The team homed in on the cause of the error.",{"w":77,"intensity":25,"formality":25,"contexts":78,"nuance":79,"example":80},"devote oneself to",[17,18,19],"emphasizes commitment, not just attention","She devoted herself to research for ten years.",{"w":82,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":83,"nuance":84,"example":85},"apply oneself to",[17,18],"slightly more effortful and disciplined","If you apply yourself to the work, you'll improve quickly.",{"label":87,"pos":53,"gloss":88,"synonyms":89},"sharpness adjustment","bring an image into clear view",[90,95,100,105,110],{"w":91,"intensity":25,"formality":15,"contexts":92,"nuance":93,"example":94},"sharpen",[17,18,19],"more about making clear and distinct","The lens sharpens the image automatically.",{"w":96,"intensity":15,"formality":25,"contexts":97,"nuance":98,"example":99},"clarify",[17,18,19],"works better for ideas than images","The revision clarifies the argument.",{"w":101,"intensity":15,"formality":15,"contexts":102,"nuance":103,"example":104},"bring into focus",[17,18,19,20],"more idiomatic and visual","The interview brought the issue into focus.",{"w":106,"intensity":25,"formality":25,"contexts":107,"nuance":108,"example":109},"resolve",[17,18,19],"more technical, especially for images","The microscope resolved the tiny structures clearly.",{"w":111,"intensity":25,"formality":47,"contexts":112,"nuance":113,"example":114},"crystallize",[17,19],"highly formal; ideas becoming clear","Her concerns crystallized after the final meeting.",[116,117,118,119,120,121],"distraction","diffusion","blur","obscurity","scatter","ignore","Use the most ordinary word that fits your context: focus and concentrate are usually safest, while zero in on and home in on sound more vivid and informal. In formal writing, focal point, concentrate on, and bring into focus are often better choices than the more conversational options.",[124,127,130],{"q":125,"a":126},"What is the most formal or academic synonym for focus?","For the noun sense, focal point is usually the best formal choice, and nucleus can work in highly abstract or academic prose. For the verb sense, concentrate on is the safest formal equivalent; crystallize is more specialized and often refers to ideas becoming clear.",{"q":128,"a":129},"What is a stronger or milder synonym for focus?","A stronger, more emphatic verb is zero in on or home in on, which suggests a tighter, more deliberate target. A milder or more general noun is center, which is less specifically about attention.",{"q":131,"a":132},"Can I always replace focus with concentrate?","No. Concentrate usually works for the verb meaning \"direct your attention,\" but it does not replace the noun sense as naturally. Focus is broader and can also mean the main subject, the center of interest, or image sharpness.",1790472037591]