sharp focus

Meanings

1. 1noununcountabletechnical

   An image condition in which the edges and details of the subject are clearly visible and not blurred.

   Grammar: Usually follows in: the portrait is in sharp focus.

   Patterns

   • in sharp focus
   • bring something into sharp focus

   The bird was captured in sharp focus against a blurred background.

   Turn the ring slowly until the text comes into sharp focus.

   His camera keeps the whole scene in sharp focus.

2. 2noununcountablefigurative

   A very clear and concentrated way of thinking about or presenting a matter, with nothing distracting from it.

   Grammar: Often used with bring or come: the crisis brought the problem into sharp focus.

   Patterns

   • bring something into sharp focus
   • come into sharp focus

   The accident brought the need for safer roads into sharp focus.

   Her speech kept the main issue in sharp focus from start to end.

   A year abroad put his career goals into sharp focus.

Common combinations

in sharp focus

Every leaf was in sharp focus.

bring into sharp focus

The report brings the cost of delay into sharp focus.

come into sharp focus

Her plans came into sharp focus after the meeting.

keep in sharp focus

The teacher kept the lesson goals in sharp focus.

remain in sharp focus

The issue will remain in sharp focus this year.

Synonyms and how they differ

clarity

This is wider and can describe clear thinking or a clear image, but has less of the camera sense.

crispness

This describes fine detail in a picture and does not extend easily to ideas.

clear focus

This is gentler and usually means clearly directed attention, not extreme detail.

Opposites

Word family

focus noun

the point at which an image is clear

sharpen verb

to make clearer or keener

sharply adverb

clearly and distinctly

refocus verb

to change what you are concentrating on

Commonly confused: sharp focus or soft focus?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sharp focus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words