Synonyms

emphasize

American

[em-fuh-sahyz] / ˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /

especially British, emphasise

verb (used with object)

emphasized, emphasizing

to give emphasis to; lay stress upon; stress.

to emphasize a point;
to emphasize the eyes with mascara.

Synonyms:

highlight, accentuate, accent

emphasize British

/ ˈɛmfəˌsaɪz /

verb

(tr) to give emphasis or prominence to; stress

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

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.

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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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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.

To emphasize the points, Palantir said during the earnings call that it had replaced its legacy customer relations management software with a new solution built on AIP.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

When pressed on this, Angle and partners emphasize that the Familiar’s wordless interactions inherently soften its approach, making it more like R2-D2 than M3GAN.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Sometimes the forest greens turn red to emphasize extreme states of mind and signal hallucinations.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Reels, stories and stitches all emphasize our humanity.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

Smiling, Isabel spreads her hands to emphasize the point Marguerite, defeated, presses her lips together and says no more.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023