focused

Focused is an adjective and the past participle of the verb focus. It describes a state of concentrated attention or a direction toward a specific objective. A focused person concentrates effort and thought on a task, while a focused approach or project has a clearly defined scope and goals. The term is common across domains such as education, business, and everyday planning, often used to contrast with broad, diffuse, or aimless activity.

Etymology and usage context: Focus originates from Latin focus, meaning center or hearth, and entered English through optics to denote the convergence point of rays. The sense broadened to indicate bringing attention or perception into alignment. In modern language, focused can describe mental state, work methods, or fields of study that emphasize depth over breadth.

Technology and psychology: In computing and user interfaces, the term focus identifies the element currently selected to receive input; focus management is important for accessibility and keyboard navigation. In psychology and cognitive science, focused attention refers to the ability to maintain concentration on a particular stimulus or task while inhibiting distractions, as distinct from divided or sustained attention.

See also: focus, focusing, focus group, attention, concentration.