accentuate

[ ak-sen-choo-eyt ]
See synonyms for: accentuateaccentuatedaccentuatesaccentuating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),ac·cen·tu·at·ed, ac·cen·tu·at·ing.
  1. to give emphasis or prominence to.

  2. to place the stress or emphasis on (a particular syllable or word) when pronouncing it or showing its pronunciation.

Origin of accentuate

1
First recorded in 1725–35; from Medieval Latin accentuātus intoned (past participle of accentuāre ); see accent, -ate1

Other words from accentuate

  • o·ver·ac·cen·tu·ate, verb (used with object), o·ver·ac·cen·tu·at·ed, o·ver·ac·cen·tu·at·ing.
  • re·ac·cen·tu·ate, verb (used with object), re·ac·cen·tu·at·ed, re·ac·cen·tu·at·ing.

Words that may be confused with accentuate

Words Nearby accentuate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use accentuate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for accentuate

accentuate

/ (ækˈsɛntʃʊˌeɪt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to stress or emphasize

Derived forms of accentuate

  • accentuation, noun

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