highlight
Americanverb (used with object)
-
highlights,
present (3rd person singular)
-
highlighted,
past participle, past
-
highlighting
present participle
-
to emphasize or make prominent.
The lawsuit against the landlord highlighted the need for a stricter building code.
-
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.
-
to create highlights in (a photograph or engraving).
-
to dye (parts of the hair) lighter.
-
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
-
highlights
plural
-
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.
-
the area of most intense light on a represented form, as in a painting or photograph.
-
Usually highlights a section of hair that has been dyed lighter.
noun
-
an area of the lightest tone in a painting, drawing, photograph, etc
-
the most exciting or memorable part of an event or period of time
-
(often plural) a bleached blond streak in the hair
verb
-
painting drawing photog to mark (any brightly illuminated or prominent part of a form or figure) with light tone
-
to bring notice or emphasis to
-
to be the highlight of
-
to produce blond streaks in (the hair) by bleaching
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
highlightsimple
-
highlightssimple
-
have highlightedperfect
-
has highlightedperfect
-
am highlightingprogressive
-
are highlightingprogressive
-
is highlightingprogressive
-
have been highlightingperfect progressive
-
has been highlightingperfect progressive
Past
-
highlightedsimple
-
had highlightedperfect
-
was highlightingprogressive
-
were highlightingprogressive
-
had been highlightingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of highlight
Explanation
If you missed the big game, don't worry — you can still catch the highlights on the news. A highlight is the most important or memorable part of something. If you don’t have time to listen to your friend’s long, involved story, you might say, "Just give me the highlights." Highlight can also mean "a lightness or a bright area." If someone puts highlights in their hair, they are adding bright streaks to their hair. When used as a verb, highlight means "to emphasize." You may want to highlight the best grades on a report card while downplaying the lesser ones.
Vocabulary lists containing highlight
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
More recently, the SSA told MarketWatch that its proposed budget for fiscal-year 2027 will highlight its “digital-first agenda and streamline operations.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
The new records highlight the difficulties fueled by climate change facing the Colorado River, a crucial resource for 40 million people.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Also, the data highlight “the economy’s continued leverage to the recovery in global technology demand,” the senior currency analyst adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
He called playing in the Olympics the pinnacle of any sport and making Team Canada has been the highlight of his career.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
The Fashion Minister would want me to highlight which dresses best match each particular look.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
This much we know: The Chargers had precious few highlights Thursday night and a landslide of lowlights, resulting in a 41-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
"This discovery highlights the importance of museum collections and the community support that keeps them alive," Cole said.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Moderna’s breakthrough highlights a broader transformation, as AI accelerates the clinical development of therapies at a pace that would have seemed unimaginable a few years ago.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
We haven’t seen corporate borrowing spreads head materially higher, and as a result it really highlights the benefits and need to be proactive around hedging rising Treasury yields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Her blue highlights have faded, and now she has streaks of faded yellowish green in her hair.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
Using sticky notes, booksellers had shared reflections on books they had read or highlighted passages they found particularly meaningful.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
A leadership shake-up at Tata Sons has highlighted the challenges facing India’s family-founded behemoths.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The MND Association welcomed the findings and highlighted their potential importance for future treatments.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
And he highlighted pushback against data-center construction, which is criticial to driving further demand for semiconductor components.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The massacre brought criticism to principal owner John D. Rockefeller and highlighted the Colorado miners’ grievances, but little improved for them.
From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell
As diplomacy stalls between the decades-long foes, attacks in the Hormuz strait have continued, highlighting the continued risks to regional shipping.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
He had 30 shots on goal and made 30 key passes, highlighting his routes to points.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Some are highlighting flaws to try to reduce their home’s value or moving in family members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
At first glance, this news might sound encouraging after years of headlines highlighting the reverse trend, that life expectancy was falling.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Ms. Rochambeau glances down at the highlighting on Matt’s sheet.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
