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).
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to dye (parts of the hair) lighter.
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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
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highlights
plural
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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.
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the area of most intense light on a represented form, as in a painting or photograph.
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Usually highlights a section of hair that has been dyed lighter.
noun
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an area of the lightest tone in a painting, drawing, photograph, etc
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the most exciting or memorable part of an event or period of time
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(often plural) a bleached blond streak in the hair
verb
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painting drawing photog to mark (any brightly illuminated or prominent part of a form or figure) with light tone
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to bring notice or emphasis to
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to be the highlight of
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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
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highlightsimple
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highlightssimple
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have highlightedperfect
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has highlightedperfect
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am highlightingprogressive
-
are highlightingprogressive
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is highlightingprogressive
-
have been highlightingperfect progressive
-
has been highlightingperfect progressive
Past
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highlightedsimple
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had highlightedperfect
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was highlightingprogressive
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were highlightingprogressive
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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
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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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:
The research suggest the Himalayas have played a much larger role in frog evolution than previously thought and highlight the region as an overlooked hotspot for biodiversity.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
The highlight of the last few years of Ryan’s coaching career came when his Bills defeated the Jets in a regular-season finale, depriving his former team of a playoff berth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
But looking under the surface can highlight other trends that may be more important to long-term investors.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026
A false denial, a chairman-less board and no named successor highlight how Nvidia’s board does things CEO Jensen Huang’s way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
My dad’s personal story was so insane—he’d left home, all alone, for America when he was sixteen—that the part where he was drafted to go to war in Vietnam actually seemed like a highlight.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
The research highlights how familiar scientific theories can contain possibilities that were missed because earlier investigations relied on restrictive assumptions.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
In Ader’s view, the situation highlights how companies gain “operational simplicity” by using a vendor like Microsoft for so many services.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
Ultimately, the study highlights why a woman's underlying health conditions matter when evaluating the potential pregnancy risks of GLP-1 medications.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
Like Pollock, Ojomoh knows that head coach Steve Borthwick will be focused on small details, as much as showreel highlights.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
Certainly I never dreamed I could have undiscovered red highlights but Andrea said I could; I just needed to encourage them to come out.
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
The programme also marked the 50th anniversary of the King's Trust and highlighted how musicians have supported the charity's efforts.
From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2026
In particular, the activists highlighted the presence of BH Nadlan, a company that markets apartments in both East Jerusalem and the West Bank on its website.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026
The researchers also highlighted important limitations in the available data.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026
Some questioned whether the board had been too quick to protect Huang or initially accept his assurances about the relationship, and said the saga highlighted the importance of succession planning regardless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
She said it was from all the sun, but it changed like five shades, so I think she got it highlighted.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
The findings broaden the potential benefits of vaccination by highlighting a form of protection that may not be immediately apparent.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
"All sensors in a vehicle that are suitable for surveillance" can pose a threat to military security, it added, highlighting cameras, radar, microphones and data transmission systems.
From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2026
The attackers appeared to exploit outdated software, highlighting the growing cybersecurity risks posed by the proliferation of internet-connected devices and advances in artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
In their second attempt at securing a conviction, prosecutors are putting less emphasis on Rinderknecht’s alleged resentment of the wealthy, instead highlighting laboratory tests they allege prove that a lighter could ignite the hillside vegetation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
It was half open, light falling in a clear path to Moss’s bed, highlighting his unconscious face in late-night gold.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
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