1. To make an adjustment so that a viewed object can be seen clearly, as with instruments that use lenses, or by digital or other means on a screen. You need to bring the vase of flowers into focus so that it doesn't come out blurry in the pictures. The eye doctor adjusted his machine and brought the eye chart into focus for me. Can you bring the footage into focus so we can see the perpetrator's face?

2. To cause something to be better or more clearly understood or seen in a new perspective. Her passionate speech about the environment really brought the importance of conservation efforts into focus.

1. To direct and adjust the lens of something so that one can see through it clearly. I can't seem to focus the camera on the tree—it's still all blurry.

2. To center on or be dedicated to something in particular. Have you decided which topics the meeting will focus on?

3. To cause someone or something to center on or be dedicated to something in particular. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "focus" and "on." I think we need still need to focus our efforts on fundraising right now.

1. Not able to be seen with clear, sharp definition. Someone go tell them that the film is out of focus! I don't need my glasses all the time, but everything is slightly out of focus without them.

2. Not able to produce a clear, sharp image. Who's been messing with my telescope? It's completely out of focus! I've tried adjusting it over and over again, but the projector is still out of focus.

3. Not clearly perceived, understood, or explained. Let's try to bring the discussion back to the topic at hand, because I think things are getting out of focus. As the professor continued rambling on, the point of her lecture started to get out of focus.

1. Visually crisp and clear, typically of something seen through a camera or other such adjustable device. If the vase of flowers isn't in focus now, it'll come out blurry in the pictures. When I told the eye doctor that the eye chart wasn't in focus, he adjusted his machine some more. Yeah, but if the footage isn't in focus, we'll never be able to make out the perpetrator's face.

2. Better or more clearly understood or seen in a new perspective. The importance of conservation efforts is now in focus for a lot of the students, thanks to Chelsea's passionate speech about the environment.

1. To be seen clearly, as via adjustments to instruments that use lenses, or by digital or other means on a screen. No, that's not right—the vase of flowers still hasn't come into focus. The eye doctor adjusted his machine so that the eye chart would come into focus for me. If the footage never comes into focus, we won't get a good look at the perpetrator's face after all.

2. To be better or more clearly understood or seen in a new perspective. The importance of conservation efforts has really come into focus for a lot of the students, thanks to the Chelsea's passionate speech about the environment.

1. To become able to be seen clearly, as via adjustments to instruments that use lenses, or by digital or other means on a screen. No, that's not right—the vase of flowers still hasn't gotten into focus. The eye doctor adjusted his machine so that the eye chart would get into focus for me. If the footage never gets into focus, we won't have a good look at the perpetrator's face after all.

2. To make such an adjustment so that a viewed object can be seen clearly. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "get" and "into." The eye doctor got the eye chart into focus for me by adjusting his machine.

3. To be better or more clearly understood or seen in a new perspective. The importance of conservation efforts has really come into focus for a lot of the students, thanks to the Chelsea's passionate speech about the environment.