target of attention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "target of attention" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that is being focused on or observed by others. Example: "During the meeting, the new project proposal became the target of attention as everyone discussed its potential impact."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Critical Care

Behaviour Research and Therapy

History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

BioMed Research International

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

The Guardian - Sport

The Guardian

The New York Times

The Guardian - Tech

Animal Behaviour

Wikipedia

Huffington Post

Plosone

Clinical Epidemiology

The Guardian - Film

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Times - Sports

The New Yorker

BMC Psychiatry

BMC Health Services Research

The Guardian

Crime Science

EBioMedicine

Blood Cancer Journal

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

While the passive lungs are the primary target of attention, PAW-based interpretations may be influenced by differences in breathing pattern, alterations in chest wall activity (including diaphragmatic function), changes in lung volume, asymmetry of lung disease, abdominal distension, etc.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This is the first ABM trial to investigate two (vs. one) targets of attention bias within a sample with co-occurring symptoms of social anxiety and alcohol dependence.

Behaviour Research and Therapy

As targets of attention, however, they proved difficult to control.

History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Despite the fact that this suggestion is still to be verified, it is already clear that the M3 phenotype could be considered as an effective therapeutic target worthy of attention.

BioMed Research International

In Experiments 2a, 2b, and 2c, we examined whether perceptual attention and the FoA in WM are completely independent, or whether there is a benefit when the target of perceptual attention is aligned with the current FoA in WM, relative to when it is not, contrasting the predictions of the independence (ii) and shared-map (iii) hypotheses.

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

Neymar will certainly be a target of special attention, which makes it even more important that the burden of creativity is shared by his team-mates.

The Guardian - Sport

It was here that the first signs of racial tension and vocal dissatisfaction began to emerge, after the restaurant became the target of police attention that seemed designed to close it down.

The Guardian

Or is it simply police shorthand for people whose suspicious activities make them a legitimate target of police attention as they try to reduce the city's crime rate?

The New York Times

Krebs himself has been the repeated target of such attention, from Lizard Squad and others: in one case, a "carder" called Krebs's local police station and pretended to be calling from his house, claiming there had been a kidnapping at gunpoint.

The Guardian - Tech

When attending to vocal signals, baboons appear to take into account not only the signaller's identity and her probable subsequent behaviour, but also the target of her attention.

Animal Behaviour

From August to September 1910, Ranavalona would visit Paris, Nantes, La Baule and Saint-Nazaire and was repeatedly the target of undesired attention from press photographers.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Be specific about who is giving the attention. For example, instead of "He became the target of attention", try "He became the target of the media's attention".

Common error

Avoid using "target of attention" when a more active construction would be clearer. For example, instead of "The problem was the target of attention", consider "The committee focused on the problem".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "target of attention" primarily functions as a noun phrase, identifying the entity or aspect that is the recipient or focus of observation, interest, or scrutiny. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "target of attention" is a versatile noun phrase used to denote the object, person, or area receiving focus or scrutiny. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and enjoys widespread use across diverse contexts, ranging from scientific research and news reporting to general discourse. While generally neutral in tone, the phrase's connotation can shift based on context, implying either positive interest or potentially negative scrutiny. When employing "target of attention", clarity and precision are essential to convey the intended message, specifying who or what is directing the attention. Related phrases, such as "focus of interest" and "center of attention", offer alternative ways to express similar ideas, each with slight nuances in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

focus of interest

Changes the noun from "attention" to "interest", implying a slightly more proactive engagement.

center of attention

Replaces "target" with "center", indicating a more prominent or celebrated focus.

subject of focus

Replaces "target" with "subject", offering a more passive perspective on being observed.

object of scrutiny

Substitutes "attention" with "scrutiny", suggesting a more critical or investigative focus.

point of concentration

Alters the phrase to emphasize a deliberate act of concentrating on something.

recipient of focus

Replaces target to recipient, switching agency and framing the phrase as something being received

area of emphasis

Shifts from a person or object to a topic or aspect being emphasized.

main concern

Narrows the focus to something that is causing worry or requiring action.

prime concern

Switches focus to be a major concern.

hot topic

Frames the phrase as a source of great interest and discussion

FAQs

How can I use "target of attention" in a sentence?

You can use "target of attention" to describe someone or something that is being focused on or observed by others. For example, "During the presentation, the new product became the target of attention".

What can I say instead of "target of attention"?

You can use alternatives like "focus of interest", "center of attention", or "object of scrutiny" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the target of special attention"?

Yes, "the target of special attention" is grammatically correct and commonly used to emphasize that someone or something is receiving particular focus or care. For example: "Neymar will certainly be a target of special attention".

What is the difference between "focus of attention" and "target of attention"?

"Focus of attention" generally describes where someone's attention is directed. "Target of attention" can imply that someone or something is deliberately being watched or scrutinized, sometimes with negative connotations. Consider the nuance of "object of scrutiny" as well.