highlight

[hahy-lahyt]

verb (used with object)

highlighted, highlighting 

1. to emphasize or make prominent.

   The lawsuit against the landlord highlighted the need for a stricter building code.

   Synonyms: feature, underline, accent, stress

2. 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.

3. to create highlights in (a photograph or engraving).

4. to dye (parts of the hair) lighter.

5. 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

1. 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.

2. the area of most intense light on a represented form, as in a painting or photograph.

3. Usually highlights a section of hair that has been dyed lighter.

highlight

/ ˈhaɪˌlaɪt /

noun

1. an area of the lightest tone in a painting, drawing, photograph, etc

2. the most exciting or memorable part of an event or period of time

3. (often plural) a bleached blond streak in the hair

verb

1. painting drawing photog to mark (any brightly illuminated or prominent part of a form or figure) with light tone

2. to bring notice or emphasis to

3. to be the highlight of

4. to produce blond streaks in (the hair) by bleaching

Word History and Origins

Origin of highlight¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; high + light ¹

Example Sentences

Cornyn has cast suspicion on Paxton’s finances and highlighted the attorney general’s failures to fully disclose them.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

In per capita terms, the economy contracted 0.3% in the quarter, the sixth consecutive quarterly decline, highlighting a deterioration in living standards being felt across the country.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

He has his own YouTube channel highlighting some of his early experiences.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"It was just like rolling the clock back 10 years to the original highlights of his career, it was an outstanding individual performance," said then director of football Paul Fairclough.

Read more on BBC

Alex Hyde-Smith, chief marketing officer at Alzheimer's Society, said it was a "historic night providing a special moment for our mascots and their families", highlighting the importance of people coming together to tackle the illness.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• accent 
• accentuate 
• emphasize 
• feature 
• play up 
• point out 
• stress 

When To Use

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.