emphasis

noun

EM-fuh-sis/ˈɛmfəsɪs/

5 meanings of emphasis

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Extra importance or force you give to something to show it matters.
Like saying a word louder so everyone knows it is important.
The coach put great emphasis on teamwork during practice.
Her teacher places special emphasis on neat handwriting.
Similarstress, weight, importance, priority
Note
2
nouncountable or uncountable
Special attention given to one thing so it stands out from the rest.
Like a spotlight that shines on one part of a stage.
The new school puts emphasis on art and music.
There is too much emphasis on winning in youth sports.
Similarfocus, attention, prominence, priority
Note
3
noununcountable
Extra strength given to a word or sound when speaking, or special print like italics.
Like pressing harder on one note so it sounds louder than the others.
Put the emphasis on the first part of the word.
She added emphasis by saying his name slowly and loudly.
Similarstress, accent
4
noununcountable
Making some text stand out by using bold or italic letters.
Like using a highlighter pen to mark important words in a book.
Add emphasis to the key words by making them bold.
The designer used emphasis to highlight the warning in red bold text.
Note
5
noununcountable
A way of making certain consonant sounds with a heavier, deeper quality.
Like saying a sound from deeper in your throat so it feels heavier.
In Arabic, emphasis makes some consonants sound deeper than others.
The teacher showed how emphasis changes the sound of the letter.
Note

Practice

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Origin

From Ancient Greek émphasis, meaning 'significance', built from parts meaning 'in' and 'I show'.