highlight
Americanverb (used with object)
-
highlights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
highlighted,
past participle, past
-
highlighting
present participle
-
to emphasize or make prominent.
The lawsuit against the landlord highlighted the need for a stricter building code.
-
to mark with a felt-tip highlighter.
I started highlighting the text (yellow for important ideas, blue for dates and facts), but I'm not sure it was productive in the long run.
-
to create highlights in (a photograph or engraving).
-
to dye (parts of the hair) lighter.
-
to apply makeup to (the face) in places where light would naturally hit, to create a glowing effect.
After blending the foundation, highlight the cheekbones.
noun
-
highlights
plural
-
Sometimes high light an important, conspicuous, memorable, or enjoyable event, scene, part, or the like: the highlight of the concert series.
the highlight of his talk;
the highlight of the concert series.
-
the area of most intense light on a represented form, as in a painting or photograph.
-
Usually highlights a section of hair that has been dyed lighter.
noun
-
an area of the lightest tone in a painting, drawing, photograph, etc
-
the most exciting or memorable part of an event or period of time
-
(often plural) a bleached blond streak in the hair
verb
-
painting drawing photog to mark (any brightly illuminated or prominent part of a form or figure) with light tone
-
to bring notice or emphasis to
-
to be the highlight of
-
to produce blond streaks in (the hair) by bleaching
Usage
What does highlight mean? To highlight something is to emphasize it or make it more prominent, as in Last class, the biology teacher highlighted the material we would need to know for the test. To highlight also means to mark something on paper with a highlighter. A highlighter is a felt-tipped pen with a soft, translucent color used to mark words and images on a printed page. Many students and readers highlight passages in textbooks and other materials to help them remember the passages better. A highlight is the best or most prominent part of something. You can often watch the highlights of a sporting event or TV show online. Your study notes might be just the highlights of your teacher’s lectures, and if you keep a journal or diary, you might only record the highlights of your day. Example: I try to highlight the best members of a community in my stories.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
highlightsimple
-
highlightssimple
-
have highlightedperfect
-
has highlightedperfect
-
am highlightingprogressive
-
are highlightingprogressive
-
is highlightingprogressive
-
have been highlightingperfect progressive
-
has been highlightingperfect progressive
Past
-
highlightedsimple
-
had highlightedperfect
-
was highlightingprogressive
-
were highlightingprogressive
-
had been highlightingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of highlight
Explanation
If you missed the big game, don't worry — you can still catch the highlights on the news. A highlight is the most important or memorable part of something. If you don’t have time to listen to your friend’s long, involved story, you might say, "Just give me the highlights." Highlight can also mean "a lightness or a bright area." If someone puts highlights in their hair, they are adding bright streaks to their hair. When used as a verb, highlight means "to emphasize." You may want to highlight the best grades on a report card while downplaying the lesser ones.
Vocabulary lists containing highlight
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“In my opinion, nobody will ever, CAN ever, top Selena’s performance. But, dammit … can’t you just appreciate that another iconic/amazing artist chose to highlight Selena in this way?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
The cuts highlight a larger shift afoot: CEOs want managers overseeing bigger groups, with fewer layers between individual workers and executives at the top of companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Ireland managed just 10 boundaries in their innings and, to highlight the mismatch in the teams, Bouchier struck nine alone in her knock.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Lucas said he wanted to highlight the work of illustrators.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The highlight of the evening was the game.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
The AAP guidance also highlights research that challenges the outdated assumption that more time devoted to classroom instruction equals more learning.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
In a move that highlights those concerns, the manager of Norway’s $2.4 trillion sovereign-wealth fund proposed slashing the weighting of government debt in its bond portfolio to 50% from 70%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
The disaster highlights the need for better long-term monitoring, data sharing and coordination across the Himalayas, experts say.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Colleagues gathered in the radio studio's gallery for his exit, and the programme played highlights from his time on Today as well as well wishes from his co-presenters.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
Certainly I never dreamed I could have undiscovered red highlights but Andrea said I could; I just needed to encourage them to come out.
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
The billionaire insurance executive was busy enough during a career that lasted more than 70 years, highlighted by his founding of Mercury General Corp., which became one of California’s largest property and casualty carriers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
A Spanish police report has highlighted the "total permissiveness" of Moroccan security forces, although senior officials insist it does not point the finger at Rabat.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Macy’s Media Network highlighted its 165-year history with shoppers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
The Bernstein analyst also highlighted that the Azure growth rate will slow slightly as Microsoft moves GitHub Cloud out of the Azure reporting structure and into the Microsoft Commercial Cloud category instead.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026
I think about things she highlighted: “To die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.”
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
Ossoff and Talarico have also done much to conquer one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to highlighting corruption: complexity.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
Kothari says his team is now focused on highlighting policies to help young people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Of the 10, four turned out to share the same donor: Audrey, her brother Peter, Sophie and Sophie's brother David - highlighting how real the risk of a shared donor had always been.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
He was so impressed that he rushed it to Robert Parker, the legendary wine critic, who awarded it a solid score of 82 out of 100, and made a video highlighting the wine’s balance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
I find the trees especially striking, the way the rising sunlight glints off the leaves, highlighting various shades of green in different places.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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.
