emphasis

American  

[em-fuh-sis] / ˈɛm fə sɪs /

noun

plural

emphases

1. special stress laid upon, or importance attached to, anything.

   The president's statement gave emphasis to the budgetary crisis.

2. something that is given great stress or importance.

   Morality was the emphasis of his speech.

3. Rhetoric.

   1. special and significant stress of voice laid on particular words or syllables.

   2. stress laid on particular words, by means of position, repetition, or other indication.

4. intensity or force of expression, action, etc..

   Determination lent emphasis to his proposals.

5. prominence, as of form or outline.

   The background detracts from the emphasis of the figure.

6. Electronics. preemphasis.

---

emphasis British  

/ ˈɛmfəsɪs /

noun

1. special importance or significance

2. an object, idea, etc, that is given special importance or significance

3. stress made to fall on a particular syllable, word, or phrase in speaking

4. force or intensity of expression

   he spoke with special emphasis on the subject of civil rights

5. sharpness or clarity of form or outline

   the sunlight gave emphasis to the shape of the mountain

---

Other Word Forms

• misemphasis noun
• reemphasis noun
• superemphasis noun

Etymology

Origin of emphasis

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin, from Greek émphasis “indication,” equivalent to em- em- ² + phásis phasis

Example Sentences

“There’s more emphasis on adopting healthy eating patterns early in life and then maintaining them,” said Dr. Alice H. Lichtenstein, a co-author of the report and professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University.

From The Wall Street Journal

“As the streaming market matures, the emphasis is no longer on pure subscriber growth but on extracting greater value from existing audiences,” said Lauren Liversedge, a senior analyst at Ampere Analysis.

From Los Angeles Times

To handle the scale of cooking, he built two identical kitchens on either side of the Chota Imambara - a design that also reflects Awadhi architecture's heavy emphasis on symmetry, he adds.

From BBC

However, the Nottinghamshire batter hopes placing a greater emphasis on fitness and being in the right frame of mind will prevent his international career from ending before he wants it to.

From BBC

The company is placing renewed emphasis on its “freemium” offerings, but that move presents growth challenges in the near term.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• attention
• insistence
• intensity
• priority
• significance
• strength
• stress
• weight