concentrate

To think carefully about one thing without letting other things take your attention.

• I can’t concentrate with this noise.
• She concentrated on reading the instructions.
• Try to concentrate while I explain the rules.

How to use it: concentrate on something/doing something (He found it difficult to concentrate on his homework.)

Similar words: focus, pay attention

Common phrases: concentrate on something, concentrate hard, concentrate fully

To give most of your time, energy, or resources to a particular activity or goal.

• We concentrate on helping local families.
• They concentrated their efforts on repairing the bridge.
• The company will concentrate its resources on staff training.

How to use it: concentrate on something/doing something (We will concentrate on improving the service.); concentrate something on something (They concentrated their resources on the new product.)

Similar words: focus

Common phrases: concentrate on something, concentrate efforts on something

To gather or be present in large numbers in a particular place.

• Most jobs are concentrated in the capital.
• Tourists concentrate around the old town square.
• The fighting was concentrated in a small area.

How to use it: be concentrated in/around something (Most factories are concentrated around the port.)

Similar words: cluster, gather

Opposites: disperse

Common phrases: concentrate in something, concentrate around something

To bring things together into one place, group, or point.

• The lens concentrates light into a small spot.
• The general concentrated his forces near the border.
• They concentrated all the supplies in one warehouse.

How to use it: concentrate something in/at something (The army concentrated its troops at the crossing.); concentrate something into something (The mirror concentrates sunlight into a narrow beam.)

Similar words: gather, focus, bring together

Opposites: disperse, scatter

Common phrases: concentrate light, concentrate forces, concentrate something into something

A substance made stronger by removing water, often mixed with water before use.

• This juice is made from concentrate.
• Mix the concentrate with three parts water.
• Keep cleaning concentrates away from children.

Common phrases: orange concentrate, juice concentrate, from concentrate