Did you know?
When you accentuate something you put an “accent,” or emphasis, on it. There’s no need to stress out if you don’t know the word’s history, though; its journey into the English language was very straightforward. It comes from Latin accentus, meaning “accent” (which itself comes in part from cantus, meaning “song”), and since the early 18th century, its meanings haven’t changed much. The word was initially used as a synonym of the verb accent to mean “to pronounce with greater stress or force,” which is a small leap from today’s meaning of “to make something more noticeable; to emphasize.” One excellent way to remember not only how to pronounce accentuate but also its etymological connection to song is the classic (and helpfully titled) tune “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, which has been performed by such luminaries as Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, and Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters.
Examples of accentuate in a Sentence
Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Tyla’s bold look wholly centered her jacket, featuring shells with a shine of muted golds and silver throughout to accentuate the style and add contrasting tones to the overall look.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
That bumper accentuates the Maserati’s alluring, shark-like snout.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
Dallas has poured most of its money and energy into wings and frontcourt pieces so far, on a mismatched roster that had been designed to accentuate the gifts of five-time All-NBA First Team superstar guard Luka Doncic, now with the Los Angeles Lakers.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Accentuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accentuate. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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accentuate
verb
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