concentrate

v.

1. To bring or come together

   focus, amass, mass, assemble, center, converge, combine, consolidate, compact, condense, gather, collect, cluster, coalesce, centralize, concenter, bring into a small compass, bring toward a central point, embody, localize, strengthen, intensify, distill, bring to bear on one point, direct, direct toward one object, fix, channel, constrict, agglomerate, reduce, aggregate, crowd together, draw together, flock together, contract, muster, bunch, store, heap up, swarm, forgather, conglomerate, congest, focalize, narrow, compress, congregate, huddle, hoard, garner; see also accumulate 1, distill, gather 1, unite 1.

   Antonyms disperse, dilute, dissipate.

2. To employ all one's mental powers

   fix one's attention, focus on, apply oneself, bring the mind to bear, think hard, give exclusive attention to, meditate, meditate upon, ponder, focus attention on, fasten on, direct all one's attention to, muse, muse over, weigh, consider closely, scrutinize, attend closely, regard carefully, contemplate, ruminate, study deeply, peruse carefully, examine closely, brood over, put one's mind to, be engrossed in, think about with absorption, occupy the mind with, occupy the thoughts with, apply the mind, give heed, pay heed, fix one's thoughts, focus one's thoughts, give the mind to, direct the mind to, rivet one's attention, rack one's brains*, get on the beam*, keep one's eye on the ball*, knuckle down*, buckle down*, apply the seat of one's pants to the chair*, zero in on*; see also analyze 1, examine 1, think 1.

   Antonyms be inattentive, drift*, ignore.