highlight
Americanverb (used with object)
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highlights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
highlighted,
past participle, past
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highlighting
present participle
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to emphasize or make prominent.
The lawsuit against the landlord highlighted the need for a stricter building code.
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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.
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to create highlights in (a photograph or engraving).
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to dye (parts of the hair) lighter.
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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
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highlights
plural
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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.
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the area of most intense light on a represented form, as in a painting or photograph.
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Usually highlights a section of hair that has been dyed lighter.
noun
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an area of the lightest tone in a painting, drawing, photograph, etc
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the most exciting or memorable part of an event or period of time
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(often plural) a bleached blond streak in the hair
verb
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painting drawing photog to mark (any brightly illuminated or prominent part of a form or figure) with light tone
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to bring notice or emphasis to
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to be the highlight of
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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
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highlightsimple
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highlightssimple
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have highlightedperfect
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has highlightedperfect
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am highlightingprogressive
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are highlightingprogressive
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is highlightingprogressive
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have been highlightingperfect progressive
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has been highlightingperfect progressive
Past
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highlightedsimple
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had highlightedperfect
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was highlightingprogressive
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were highlightingprogressive
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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
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
It is a point company executives highlight as they argue for higher tariffs on imported vehicles, particularly those from South Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The Wiener campaign described it as “the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything you ask,” intending to highlight her record on housing, transit, and other issues.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
"I wanted to highlight women's voices," Nyathi says, to let each woman explain why she found herself in a relationship with a man who wouldn't be faithful to her.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Teaming them up as a testy odd couple allows “Lanterns” to both highlight Hal’s insecurity and use the Green Lantern universe’s rules to interrogate systemic imbalances.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
My choice of individuals to highlight in this way is not intended to be comprehensive; nor are my discussions of their individual lives and work intended to be complete.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
It also highlights the value of using large comparative datasets to revisit theories that have remained influential for decades.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Small highlights include being featured in a Reese Witherspoon carousel and Ashley Tisdale French gardening video on Instagram, the latter containing their other hit, “Aces.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Your piece highlights several reasons mascots appeal to brands.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
There were still highlights, notably a famous 4-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase before they later lost a play-off tie.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
The editor asked me if I could sketch the likely highlights of such a book, and as I commenced talking, I realized how little I knew about the man personally, despite all my interviews.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Birkenstock CEO Oliver Reichert highlighted the trend during the sandal and clog maker’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Researchers also highlighted the role that online information may be playing.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Despite that, local issues are also highlighted and debated and there can often be a by-election bounce for the local community, as public money suddenly gets spent on things.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
The U.S. attorney for northern Mississippi highlighted a former federal employee convicted of plundering a pandemic-era loan program for distressed small businesses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
I’d brought Margo’s copy of Leaves of Grass to school, and I started reading the highlighted parts of “Song of Myself” again, under the desk while Mr. Jiminez scratched away at the blackboard.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
As diplomacy stalls between the decades-long foes, attacks in the Hormuz strait have continued, highlighting the continued risks to regional shipping.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Meanwhile, an auction of 30-year Treasurys on Thursday resulted in the highest yield since 2001, highlighting U.S. fiscal concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The findings were published in the globally renowned journal Energy & Environmental Science and were selected as an Outside Back Cover article, highlighting their significance.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
Alexander-Arnold also took responsibility for set-pieces and moved into midfield areas during build-up play, highlighting the tactical flexibility Mourinho may want from him.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
I handed it to Radar after a few minutes, and he looked at it for a while before writing on the corner of his notebook closest to me, The green highlighting must mean something.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
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.
