emphasize

verb

em·​pha·​size ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz How to pronounce emphasize (audio)
emphasized; emphasizing

transitive verb

: to place emphasis on : stress
emphasized the need for reform

Examples of emphasize in a Sentence

supermarket tabloids that emphasize sensational news stories that huge belt buckle only emphasizes his big gut
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
President Obama emphasized battery-electric vehicles and solar, while President Trump focused on fossil fuels. Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 Beach emphasizes that sales solve everything, advising entrepreneurs to focus relentlessly on revenue generation before perfecting other aspects. Nia Bowers, USA Today, 28 May 2025 Being Italian, the designers made sure to emphasize a four-season dining area adjoining the cockpit that can be left open for alfresco dining or enclosed in chillier weather. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 28 May 2025 In the middle of the twentieth century, understandably proud of America’s indispensable role in defeating totalitarian autocracy, historians tended to emphasize our nation’s undeniable achievements. James T. Kloppenberg, Time, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for emphasize

Word History

Etymology

emphas(is) + -ize

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emphasize was in 1793

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Emphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emphasize. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

emphasize

verb
em·​pha·​size ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz How to pronounce emphasize (audio)
emphasized; emphasizing
: to place emphasis on : stress as being important or so as to stand out

More from Merriam-Webster on emphasize

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