accentuate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to give emphasis or prominence to.
-
to place the stress or emphasis on (a particular syllable or word) when pronouncing it or showing its pronunciation.
verb
Other Word Forms
- accentuation noun
- overaccentuate verb (used with object)
- reaccentuate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of accentuate
First recorded in 1725–35; from Medieval Latin accentuātus intoned (past participle of accentuāre ); accent, -ate 1
Explanation
To accentuate something is to emphasize it. If you want someone to know you’re from the American South, accentuate your accent by laying it on thick, y’all. When you accentuate, you draw attention to something. You could wear a green shirt to accentuate your green eyes, for example. You can also accentuate words when you give them added stress. An actor might accentuate certain words in a monologue in order to emphasize the character's anger. This word traces all the way back to the Latin verb canere, "to sing."
Vocabulary lists containing accentuate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He filmed the process for TikTok, giggling at his flubs and using his hands to accentuate the rhythmic cadence of the language.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
In a fuchsia sweater, flowy cheetah-print skirt, and cobalt-colored glasses that accentuate her blue eyes, Andrews projects a surprising equanimity considering all she’s endured in the last five years.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026
But there are plenty of positives to accentuate as the calendar turns.
From Barron's • Jan. 1, 2026
The kitchen is lit with huge skylights that accentuate the natural wood beams and bring a beautiful bright feeling into the space.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025
As if to accentuate their cackles, the donkey let out two lungs full of vociferous braying.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
