MEANING
1. Central to the attention, activity, or inquiry being discussed.
2. Relating to a point where light, heat, or another effect is concentrated.
Use it for
identifying the central issue of an analysis; selecting a particular actor or outcome for attention; distinguishing the study’s focus from surrounding contextMarks a selected focus without assuming that it is the sole or strongest influence. Academic functions: Significance / Scope, Research / Methodology.
Words that belong together
- focal issue
- focal point of the analysis
- focal organization
On the page
The focal issue is access to credit, not whether households prefer saving to spending.
The comparison treats the school as the focal organization while tracing its links to local authorities.
The methods section reports the lens’s focal length so that the imaging setup can be reproduced.
Changing the focal plane alters which part of the specimen appears sharp.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- focal
Usage notes
Adjective, usually before a noun: focal issue, focal length. No routine -er or -est forms; central or more central is clearer for degree. Register: formal. Commonness: uncommon (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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