emphasis

American  

[em-fuh-sis] / ˈɛm fə sɪs /

noun

emphases plural

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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misemphasis
  noun
• reemphasis
  noun
• superemphasis
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• emphases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of emphasis

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

Explanation

While the emphasis, or main focus, for walking a dog might be on "answering the call of nature," the emphasis for the dog might be on chasing squirrels. If you say emphasis a little louder or with extra oomph in your pronunciation, you are putting emphasis on the word. This emphasis makes it clear that special attention, or emphasis, should be given to the word. Now, having repeated emphasis so many times, the "s" sound really stands out, sort of like in the word "stress." When you stress a point, you put emphasis on something — it is the main thing, the emphasis.

Example Sentences

Details of the Labour government's new strategy are expected to be published shortly, but the government said it would place a "major, explicit emphasis on socio-economic background as a primary driver of unequal opportunity".

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Invesco’s equal weight ETF puts the same emphasis on all tech stocks to avoid a scenario in which a few large companies dictate performance.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

That emphasis on patient choice is what motivated Kakaiya to develop a better way to train clinicians to perform paracervical blocks.

From Slate • Jun. 7, 2026

“Not Suitable for Work,” premiering Tuesday on Hulu, is an amiable, sweet-tempered romantic ensemble comedy with a heftier than usual emphasis on professional ambition.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

“Except state, not federal. With an emphasis on private, independent schools. Tuition or no tuition, you shouldn’t have been discriminated against.”

From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Related Words

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