focusing
focusing — verb
1. to keep your attention on one task, idea, or problem and ignore distractions.
to keep your attention on one task, idea, or problem and ignore distractions.
Meera is focusing on her chemistry notes instead of checking messages.
focus on + noun for attention
During the interview, Joaquín kept focusing on each question before answering.
The team is focusing on cheaper bus routes for the northern towns.
After lunch, Christopher had trouble focusing on the budget report.
- concentrating
slightly stronger; suggests deeper mental effort over a period of time
- paying attention
broader everyday phrase that can be shorter and less intense
- zeroing in
informal; often suggests narrowing attention to one key point
- daydreaming
suggests the mind wandering away from the task
- drifting
describes attention moving away instead of staying fixed
文法句型
focus on + noun
focus on + -ing
用法筆記
This sense usually appears with 'on' before the thing receiving attention. Distinguish it from sense 3, which is about seeing something clearly with your eyes rather than concentrating mentally.
常見錯誤
2. to adjust a camera, microscope, or similar device so the picture becomes sharp i
to adjust a camera, microscope, or similar device so the picture becomes sharp instead of blurry.
Yuki kept focusing the microscope until the tiny seed came into view.
focus + device until image is clear
The wedding photographer was still focusing the camera when the doors opened.
Ilan stopped focusing the binoculars once the lighthouse looked sharp.
Lien spent a minute focusing the laptop camera before the call began.
- adjusting
much broader; can refer to many kinds of small changes, not only visual clarity
- sharpening
describes the result more than the physical act of moving the lens
- blurring
describes making the image less clear
- defocusing
technical opposite for moving a device away from sharpness
文法句型
focus + camera/lens/device
focus + binoculars
用法筆記
The device being adjusted is usually the direct object. When you name the thing becoming clear instead, English often uses 'focus on' or 'bring into focus' instead of this direct-object pattern.
常見錯誤
3. to look hard at something so your eyes can pick out its shape more clearly.
to look hard at something so your eyes can pick out its shape more clearly.
Theo kept focusing on the house number through the heavy rain.
focus on + object to see clearly
After removing her glasses, Yara had trouble focusing on the map.
Amani blinked twice before focusing on the nurse's name badge.
The toddler was finally focusing on the red balloon above the bed.
- looking closely
broader phrase that does not always imply the eyes are struggling to become sharp
- fixing your eyes
more deliberate and slightly more formal than everyday 'focus on'
- looking away
describes moving your eyes off the object instead of keeping them on it
- glancing past
suggests only a brief look rather than steady visual attention
文法句型
focus on + object
focus your eyes on + object
用法筆記
This sense is about vision rather than mental concentration. It often appears when someone is tired, has just removed glasses, or is trying to make out a small object.
常見錯誤
4. to bring light, sound, or other energy toward one exact point.
to bring light, sound, or other energy toward one exact point.
The engineer kept focusing the laser on a dot smaller than a coin.
focus + laser on + point
Mirrors were focusing the sunlight onto the black metal plate.
The dish is designed for focusing radio waves on one receiver.
Scientists tested a lens for focusing heat inside the chamber.
- concentrating
common scientific alternative that highlights energy being gathered tightly
- aiming
less precise; it emphasizes direction more than the convergence effect
- scattering
describes rays spreading apart instead of being brought together
- diffusing
technical opposite that suggests a wider, softer spread
文法句型
focus + light/laser/heat on + point
be focused on + target
用法筆記
Most common in scientific and technical writing. The object is usually a beam, light, heat, or sound, and the sentence often names the target point with 'on' or 'onto'.
常見錯誤
focusing — noun
1. adjusting a lens or camera settings until the picture looks sharp.
adjusting a lens or camera settings until the picture looks sharp.
Automatic focusing helped Yuki track the birds across the marsh.
automatic focusing for moving subjects
Poor focusing made the microscope slide useless for the class.
Manual focusing took longer in the dim theatre before the concert.
After the storm, the telescope needed careful focusing again.
- lens adjustment
broader phrase that can include other small changes besides sharpness
- fine-tuning
less specific; used for many kinds of careful technical adjustment
- blur
describes the unclear result when proper adjustment is missing
文法句型
automatic focusing
manual focusing
用法筆記
This process noun is most common in photography, microscopes, and telescopes. It usually describes the adjustment itself, not the finished clear image.