emphasis

American  

[em-fuh-sis] / ˈɛm fə sɪs /

noun

• emphases
  plural

1. 

   special stress laid upon, or importance attached to, anything.

   The president's statement gave emphasis to the budgetary crisis.

2. something that is given great stress or importance.

   Morality was the emphasis of his speech.

3. Rhetoric.

   1. special and significant stress of voice laid on particular words or syllables.

   2. stress laid on particular words, by means of position, repetition, or other indication.

4. intensity or force of expression, action, etc..

   Determination lent emphasis to his proposals.

5. prominence, as of form or outline.

   The background detracts from the emphasis of the figure.

6. Electronics. preemphasis.

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emphasis British  

/ ˈɛmfəsɪs /

noun

1. special importance or significance

2. an object, idea, etc, that is given special importance or significance

3. stress made to fall on a particular syllable, word, or phrase in speaking

4. force or intensity of expression

   he spoke with special emphasis on the subject of civil rights

5. sharpness or clarity of form or outline

   the sunlight gave emphasis to the shape of the mountain

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misemphasis
  noun
• reemphasis
  noun
• superemphasis
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• emphases
  plural

Etymology

Origin of emphasis

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin, from Greek émphasis “indication,” equivalent to em- em- ² + phásis phasis

Explanation

While the emphasis, or main focus, for walking a dog might be on "answering the call of nature," the emphasis for the dog might be on chasing squirrels. If you say emphasis a little louder or with extra oomph in your pronunciation, you are putting emphasis on the word. This emphasis makes it clear that special attention, or emphasis, should be given to the word. Now, having repeated emphasis so many times, the "s" sound really stands out, sort of like in the word "stress." When you stress a point, you put emphasis on something — it is the main thing, the emphasis.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

emphasis emphases

Those close to Healey argue that his emphasis this week on securing the economic growth which has eluded successive governments by spreading wealth around the country is a clear difference from Reeves.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

That third rule deserves emphasis because of how ordinary the mistake looks.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

The new season will feature a visual refresh, a renewed emphasis on original investigations, and technology as a theme.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

After placing major emphasis on the duty to remember, her institution is now focusing on outreach, education and engaging younger generations.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

She did not say this with any particular emphasis, but Roza knew she was being warned against jumping.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

The show’s photos, predominantly in black and white, document these dramatic emphases as revealed by the stances and gestures of Graham and her dedicated group of women.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

The subtleties, the nuances, the different emphases of different countries, on a huge range of issues - and changing all the time.

From BBC ● May 21, 2023

By strict definition, "classical education" refers to a series of liberal arts emphases on subjects like grammar, logic, rhetoric and math.

From Salon ● May 31, 2022

Looking back at old data “is certain to raise concerns as curricular emphases, education reform priorities, and testing technologies evolve over time,” he said.

From Washington Post ● May 29, 2022

While geography emphasizes the physical side and history the social, these are only emphases in a common topic, namely, the associated life of men.

From Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education by John Dewey

Related Words

• attention
• insistence
• intensity
• priority
• significance
• strength
• stress
• weight