de-emphasize

American  

[dee-em-fuh-sahyz] / diˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /

especially British, de-emphasise

verb (used with object)

de-emphasized, de-emphasizing

1. to place less emphasis upon; reduce in importance, size, scope, etc..

   The university de-emphasized intercollegiate football.

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de-emphasize British  

/ diːˈɛmfəˌsaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to remove emphasis from

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Etymology

Origin of de-emphasize

First recorded in 1935–40; de- + emphasize

Example Sentences

Lockheed stock was flat over that span, with investors worried that militaries would de-emphasize their manned fighter jets in favor of lower-cost autonomous systems.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

“When you de-emphasize that, then you just call up your friends as you were doing before,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

McLennan explained that the fund will, at times, de-emphasize gold and load up more on stocks.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 27, 2026

The Gates foundation policy dovetails with calls by some open-access advocates to de-emphasize the role of journal articles in quality control and professional evaluations.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 1, 2024

For these persons, I usually de-emphasize the need for passing the tests and concentrate on the therapeutic results which are desired.

From A Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis by Powers, Melvin