de-emphasis

American  

[dee-em-fuh-sis] / diˈɛm fə sɪs /

Or deemphasis

noun

plural

de-emphases

1. a reduction in emphasis.

   There has been de-emphasis on athletic activities at the school.

2. the act or process of de-emphasizing.

3. Electronics. a process of reducing the relative amplitude of certain frequencies in a signal that have been exaggerated by preemphasis, restoring the signal to its original form.

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Etymology

Origin of de-emphasis

First recorded in 1935–40; de- + emphasis

Example Sentences

“There’s been a de-emphasis on space because people say, ‘Let’s worry about problems on Earth as opposed to the future.’

From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2023

But assuming other journals adopt its model, that de-emphasis of journal branding is a goal of its insurgency.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 20, 2022

Herbert’s de-emphasis of gadgets and technology helps “Dune” feel surprisingly modern, where a lot of its sci-fi contemporaries have come to feel dated.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2022

I want to ask you about this because it's getting to the point where there is such a de-emphasis on basic cooking skills, and just basic skills in general.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2019

It means a continued de-emphasis — one that began on her last album, “1989” — of the sorts of dense narratives that were so integral to her early career.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2017