concentrate and focus share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. concentrate means “make denser, stronger, or purer”. focus means “the concentration of attention or energy on something”. focus is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑnsənˌtɹeɪt/
1.v.make denser, stronger, or purer
“concentrate juice”
2.v.direct one's attention on something
“Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies”
3.v.make central
“The Russian government centralized the distribution of food”
/ˈfoʊkəs/
1.n.the concentration of attention or energy on something
“the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology”
2.n.maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system
“in focus”
3.n.maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea
“the controversy brought clearly into focus an important difference of opinion”
| concentrate | focus | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑnsənˌtɹeɪt/ | /ˈfoʊkəs/ |
| Said | KAHN-suhn-trayt | FOH-kuhs |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 11 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 11 | 12 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | focusing, focussing, focal point |
Full entry for concentrate · Full entry for focus · More comparisons