emphasize

[em-fuh-sahyz] / ˈɛm fəˌsaɪz /

VERB

stress, give priority to

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

STRONG

accent articulate charge dramatize enlarge enunciate headline hit impress italicize mark pinpoint press pronounce punctuate spotlight weight

WEAK

bear down dwell on insist on labor the point limelight make a point make clear make emphatic make much of play up point up put accent on rub in

Antonyms

STRONGEST

deny

STRONG

lose mumble

WEAK

depreciate forget ignore play down understate

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.

YouTube’s pitch has begun to resemble those of legacy media companies, but it has no plans to emphasize live video over on-demand content or to develop higher-budget series.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

Health officials emphasize, however, that the risk to the public from the outbreak is low.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

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

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

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

When he talked he frequently thumped his right fist into his left palm to emphasize a point.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

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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Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items

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