emphasize

American  

[em-fuh-sahyz] / ˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /

especially British, emphasise

verb (used with object)

emphasized, emphasizing

1. to give emphasis to; lay stress upon; stress: to emphasize the eyes with mascara.

   to emphasize a point;

   to emphasize the eyes with mascara.

   Synonyms:

   highlight, accentuate, accent

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emphasize British  

/ ˈɛmfəˌsaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to give emphasis or prominence to; stress

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Other Word Forms

• hyperemphasize verb (used with object)
• misemphasize verb (used with object)
• reemphasize verb (used with object)
• superemphasize verb (used with object)
• unemphasizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of emphasize

First recorded in 1820–30; emphas(is) + -ize

Example Sentences

Li noted the People’s Bank of China has emphasized “firmly maintaining stable operations” across equity, bond, and forex markets.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lamarck’s science was indeed revolutionary for its time, emphasizing nonreligious materialism and imagining a version of evolutionary change.

From The Wall Street Journal

Growth in many traditional packaged-food categories has been lackluster or negative as consumers embrace fresh produce and startup brands that emphasize health benefits.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, Dr. Wilson emphasized that the supporting evidence for these uses is not strong.

From Science Daily

The researchers emphasize that more work is needed to understand how these findings translate to patient care.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• accentuate
• affirm
• assert
• highlight
• indicate
• maintain
• point out
• reiterate
• repeat
• underline
• underscore