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Synonyms

emphasize

American  
[em-fuh-sahyz] / ˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /
especially British, emphasise

verb (used with object)

emphasized, emphasizing
  1. to give emphasis to; lay stress upon; stress: to emphasize the eyes with mascara.

    to emphasize a point;

    to emphasize the eyes with mascara.

    Synonyms:
    highlight , accentuate , accent

emphasize British  
/ ˈɛmfəˌsaɪz /

verb

  1. (tr) to give emphasis or prominence to; stress

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • hyperemphasize verb (used with object)
  • misemphasize verb (used with object)
  • reemphasize verb (used with object)
  • superemphasize verb (used with object)
  • unemphasizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of emphasize

First recorded in 1820–30; emphas(is) + -ize

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.

However, the two companies emphasized that their partnership isn’t exclusive and that both companies will continue to work with the broader industry.

From Barron's

The instructions allowed students to incorporate personal experience or perspective, but emphasized thoughtful engagement with the original article.

From Salon

Sereno emphasizes that these dinosaur mummies are very different from human-created mummies in Egyptian tombs; none of the original organic material is still present.

From Science Daily

The researchers emphasized that these personality labels reflect human observations and that it remains unclear whether wolf-derived DNA directly influences these traits.

From Science Daily

She emphasized that she doesn’t suffer from depression or anxiety, but the scan suggests long-term strain.

From Salon