All 21 Uses

focus
in
The Best of Me
(Auto-generated)

Instead, he tried to focus on the simple routines that dominated his life when he was back on solid ground.
p. 6.7

focus = concentrate
Instead, if anything, it awakened a renewed commitment in her to focus on rebuilding their family life, and she threw herself into the kids' activities and routines with a single-minded passion, if only to keep the grief at bay.
p. 27.9
Even without Al-Anon, she understood that there was nothing she could do to make Frank change, that until he admitted he had a problem and focused on getting better, he would remain an alcoholic.
p. 31.3

focused = concentrated
He blinked rapidly, trying to bring the man into better focus.
p. 49.1

focus = view (a state where something can be seen clearly)
But as he continued to stare, subtle differences slowly came into focus.
p. 51.4
He didn't know, but the more he tried to focus on what he'd actually seen, the more it began to slip away.
p. 149.1 *

focus = concentrate
Mainly, though, the rage was focused on Dawson, and Ted lay in the bed, still trying to figure out exactly what had happened.
p. 157.6

focused = concentrated
He pushed on, trying to focus narrowly on driving his body to the limit, but his eyes kept flicking from side to side, unconsciously scanning the beachgoers for a sight of the dark-haired man.
p. 160.4

focus = concentrate
What made focusing even more difficult was that she couldn't stop thinking about Dawson.
p. 162.4

focusing = concentrating
He shrugged slightly before turning away, focusing on the flowers again.
p. 209.4

focusing = looking
In the quiet of the garage that Dawson once called home, he focused on the words and began to read.
p. 217.4

focused = looked
Putting the letter aside, Dawson left the garage and focused his gaze on Amanda.
p. 223.8

focused = looked with
Dawson moved aside, making room as Marilyn focused on the inscription.
p. 249.4

focused = looked
He needed Ted to start focusing less on what he wanted and more on what Abee told him to do.
p. 260.1

focusing = concentrating
Only slowly did the world come into focus again.
p. 283.2 *

focus = view (a state where something can be seen clearly)
Dawson drew near, focusing on Dr. Bonner, just as the ghost turned and entered the building.
p. 288.7

focusing = looking
Ever since the stranger had burst into the bar, craning his head around wildly as if pursuing someone, Ted and Abee had quit beating him and for some reason turned their entire focus on the newcomer.
p. 289.9

focus = attention
Halfway through her outburst, Frank had dropped his gaze, focusing instead on the floor.
p. 306.3

focusing = looking
Fascinated by the course he had taken in the summer, he decided to focus on economics when he returned to Davidson.
p. 325.5

focus = concentrate
When he'd pulled up to the country club a few minutes earlier, his dad had been leaning against one of the columns, his eyes bleary and unfocused, and his breath alone could have fueled the gas grill in the backyard.†
p. 261.9

unfocused = not good at concentrating on one thing

standard prefix: The prefix "un-" in unfocused means not and reverses the meaning of focused. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
Frank sat in a chair across from her, still slightly swaying, his gaze unfocused.†
p. 276.7

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Grouped by 4 Meanings

Definitions:

(1) (focus as in: Turn your focus to question #2.)
to direct attention or effort toward a single thing; or the ability to do so without getting distracted
(2) (focus as in: The focus of our study is...)
where attention is concentrated or directed
(3) (focus as in: bring into focus; or out of focus)
a state where something has come into view or can be seen clearly; or an adjustment made to permit a clear view
(4) (focus as with technical usage)
technical usage typically involves some sense of center or concentration such as:
- physics — a point where things come together such as the point where light rays meet
- geometry — a fixed reference point (as of a parabola)
- geology — the point of origin of an earthquake
See a comprehensive dictionary for other less common meanings.
(5) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)

focus in The Best of Me (Auto-generated)

focus
in
The Best of Me
(Auto-generated)