emphasize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
emphasizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
emphasized,
past participle, past
-
emphasizing
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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hyperemphasizeverb (used with object)
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misemphasizeverb (used with object)
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reemphasizeverb (used with object)
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superemphasizeverb (used with object)
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unemphasizingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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emphasizesimple
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emphasizessimple
-
have emphasizedperfect
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has emphasizedperfect
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am emphasizingprogressive
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are emphasizingprogressive
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is emphasizingprogressive
-
have been emphasizingperfect progressive
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has been emphasizingperfect progressive
Past
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emphasizedsimple
-
had emphasizedperfect
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was emphasizingprogressive
-
were emphasizingprogressive
-
had been emphasizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of emphasize
First recorded in 1820–30; emphas(is) + -ize
Explanation
To emphasize is to make something important, or stress it, like when you were little and your parents would always emphasize the importance of looking both ways before crossing the street. They told you again and again and again. And again. The verb emphasize works when you really want to stress a point or give extra weight to an issue. Emphasize comes from words that mean “significance” and “to present or show.” A player who finally makes the varsity team might emphasize this achievement by always wearing his practice jersey — even off the field, or you might emphasize the importance of being on time by locking the door on latecomers.
Vocabulary lists containing emphasize
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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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:
But there still needs to be a foundation of original ideas, critical thinking and refined taste for the AI to build upon, the experts all emphasize.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
“We emphasize the rarity of these events and continue to believe that use of GLP-1s under medical supervision remains extremely safe, with a favorable risk/benefit profile for patients.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026
He cites art collective-turned-experiential firm Meow Wolf as an inspiration, only Sanctuary would have a more linear narrative that would emphasize game-inspired socializing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Despite the lack of experimental confirmation, the researchers emphasize that their proposal does not depend on technologies that have yet to be invented.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
They were so minimal they only cast shadows—they seemed to emphasize the darkness, rather than fighting it.
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes foods such as olive oil, fish, beans, lentils, fruits, and vegetables.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
Instead of concentrating primarily on collecting detailed memories, it increasingly emphasizes understanding relationships, identifying underlying meaning, and applying previously acquired knowledge.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026
He emphasizes that his coaching staff, which is also deeply rooted in the community, understands the realities of their players’ lives.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
A major retrospective argues that the New Yorker predicted today’s image-obsessed culture while it also emphasizes his radical approach to art-making in the 1960s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Similar to many of the other methods, the Orff Schulwerk emphasizes that children should experience first and then analyze or intellectualize about music afterwards, and encourages hands-on music-making regardless of skill level.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Chiang Wan-an, the incumbent Taipei mayor seeking re-election, has emphasized the securing of Nvidia’s Taiwan headquarters, which was announced this year, as one of his successes in office.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2026
She emphasized that advances in forensic technology are making it possible to recover information from historical samples collected decades earlier.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026
Yet throughout this expansion into other markets, Barros always emphasized that “adapting doesn’t mean ceasing to be who we are.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
He emphasized the importance of getting back to basics.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2026
This, he emphasized, is not a controversial topic.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
This is a war film in style and substance, emphasizing the mental exhaustion of a country that cannot handle any more carnage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
In September the UN Security Council approved a six-month extension of the mandate for the GSF, emphasizing "the importance of ensuring security conditions conducive to holding free and fair elections."
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
Automakers are emphasizing streaming and regional TV over the big brand storytelling that long dominated prime time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
She encourages members of her laboratory to be "calculated risk-takers," emphasizing that meaningful discoveries often require scientists to investigate possibilities that may initially seem unlikely.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
I imagine a giant spotlight on me as I enter, emphasizing my ancient jeans, torn sneakers, and greasy hair.
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
