focus around

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "focus around" is NOT an accepted idiom in English.
A better phrase to use would be "focus on". For example: The instructor focused on key topics during the presentation.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"They create the focus around themselves".

The New York Times - Sports

The focus around town has been entirely on the quarterback.

The New York Times

In particular, our focus around local, and local provision.

The Guardian

A lot of the focus around this game will not be the football match itself.

Independent

I've been criticized a lot about a focus around AIDS by gay Latin men.

The New York Times

"I think they had a real hard focus around our net".

The New York Times - Sports

"There has been a lot of focus around consuming media on smartphones.

The Guardian - Tech

So I did, and Russia came into focus around me with each grassy, acidic bite.

The New Yorker

The unwritten rules of wild camping focus around respecting the land and leaving no trace behind.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Glasgow is indeed a city transformed, with the focus around the reborn riverside.

The Guardian - Travel

Bartlett saw how the memory errors people made tended to focus around the unfamiliar elements.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "focus around" with "focus on" for improved grammatical correctness. This substitution maintains the intended meaning while adhering to standard English usage.

Common error

Avoid using "focus around" in formal writing. Although it appears frequently, "focus on" is the grammatically accepted and clearer choice. Using "focus around" can detract from your writing's credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "focus around" functions as a phrasal verb, where 'focus' is the verb and 'around' is a preposition that modifies its meaning. Despite its relatively frequent usage, as indicated by Ludwig, it's considered grammatically questionable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

9%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "focus around" is used frequently, it's important to recognize that Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The recommended alternative is "focus on", which provides grammatical correctness and is more clear. Though found in diverse sources such as The New York Times and academic papers, adhering to standard grammar improves the clarity and credibility of your writing. When aiming to express a central theme, it's best to opt for alternatives like "center on" or "revolve around" for better grammatical precision. Despite its common usage, "focus around" remains a point of contention.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Focus on

Replaces "around" with the more grammatically standard preposition "on".

Concentrate on

Emphasizes the act of directing one's attention or efforts.

Center on

Uses "center" instead of "focus", implying a central point of attention.

Revolve around

Suggests that something is the central point around which other things move.

Emphasize

Highlights the importance of something.

Highlight

Similar to emphasize, but suggests bringing something to the forefront.

Be based on

Indicates that something uses another thing as its foundation or core principle.

Gravitate towards

Suggests a natural tendency to move towards or focus on something.

Turn attention to

Describes the act of directing focus to a specific subject or issue.

Direct efforts toward

Implies a concentrated effort to achieve something related to the focal point.

FAQs

How to use a phrase with similar meaning to "focus around" in a sentence?

Instead of "focus around", use phrases like "focus on", "center on", or "revolve around" depending on the context.

What can I say instead of "focus around"?

You can use alternatives like "concentrate on", "emphasize", or "highlight".

Which is correct, "focus around" or "focus on"?

While "focus around" is used, "focus on" is the grammatically correct and preferred option.

What's the difference between "focus around" and "center on"?

Both phrases indicate a central point of attention, but "center on" implies that something is at the core, while "focus around" (though less grammatically sound) suggests that multiple elements are oriented toward a central idea.