emphasize

verb

em·​pha·​size ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz 

emphasized; emphasizing

transitive verb

: to place emphasis on : stress

emphasized the need for reform

Synonyms of emphasize

• highlight
• feature
• stress

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

The news comes after Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters emphasized the company's commitment to gaming during Bloomberg's Screentime conference in Los Angeles last month, sharing that some of the streamer's video games would soon be available for play on TVs for the first time. —Angela Yang, NBC news, 13 Nov. 2025

Dialogue writer Sumit Arora emphasized the importance of staying connected to contemporary language and emotions. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025

Casual dining operators, recognizing the industry may have lost its focus on hospitality during the immediate aftermath of COVID disruption, are now strategically emphasizing service quality, ambiance, and creating experiential occasions. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

Platner is emphasizing those issues – corporate power, health costs, infrastructure, wages – where the urban–rural divide is narrowest. —Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

emphas(is) + -ize

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing emphasize

• de-emphasize
• re-emphasize

Rhymes for emphasize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

emphasize

verb

em·​pha·​size ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz 

emphasized; emphasizing

: to place emphasis on : stress as being important or so as to stand out