Multi-modal differential search with real-time focus adaptation techniques are described that overcome the challenges of conventional techniques in a variety of ways. In one example, a model is trained to support a visually guided machine-learning embedding space that supports visual intuition as to “what” is represented by text. The visually guided language embedding space supported by the model, once trained, may then be used to support visual intuition as part of a variety of functionality. In one such example, the visually guided language embedding space as implemented by the model may be leveraged as part of a multi-modal differential search to support search of digital images and other digital content with real-time focus adaptation which overcomes the challenges of conventional techniques.