concentrate

The word “concentrate” means to focus one's full attention on something. In plain terms, to focus attention tightly on something, or to make something stronger by reducing its bulk (as with a concentrated liquid).

“Concentrate” is pronounced KON-suhn-trayt (/ˈkɑn.sən.tɹeɪt/ in IPA).

Here is “concentrate” used in a sentence: “She tried to concentrate on her homework despite the noise.”

Depending on how it is used, “concentrate” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “concentrate” comes from French. Likely borrowed from French concentrer or a related Romance-language word, ultimately built from con- ("together") plus center, plus the verb-forming suffix -ate.

“Concentrate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Concentrate” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to focus one's full attention on something.

As verbs the two overlap: both mean directing your full attention on something, and both take the preposition "on". Focus is slightly more common in modern usage and extends to lenses and cameras, while concentrate often implies sustained mental effort, as in "I can't concentrate with that noise."

When you mean giving your full attention, the preposition is "on": you concentrate on your work. "Concentrated in" belongs to the other sense — being gathered in one place — as in "the industry is concentrated in the north." Mixing the two is a common learner error.

For the liquid sense, the opposite is dilute — adding liquid to weaken a solution rather than removing it to strengthen one. For the attention sense there is no exact single-word opposite; the idea is usually expressed with "lose focus" or "be distracted."