highlighter

noun

high·​light·​er ˈhī-ˌlī-tər 

plural highlighters

1

: a cosmetic for making facial features (such as the cheekbones) appear lighter or brighter

To enhance her natural beauty, the former model's complexion is glowing with a light, iridescent highlighter on her cheeks and a clear, glittery gloss on her lips.

—Nicole Saunders

2

: a pen with a broad felt tip and brightly colored transparent ink for marking selected passages in a text

At least 100 publications, from newspapers to scientific journals, come into the building daily, and the editors' scissors and highlighters are never idle.

—Keith Henderson

Examples of highlighter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Drawing pens for the kids, highlighters for those profound poolside page turners, and most crucial of all, a bull-clip of Cambodia's note-heavy Riel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026

While many of us want to make our kitchen feel bright and airy, highlighter hues aren’t the best route for doing so. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 26 July 2026

The feature is the same that has been available in the Notes app, allowing users to choose from several different drawing tools, like a marker and highlighter. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 24 July 2026

This almost iridescent highlighter is a great example of how to use shimmer for a lit-from-within, ethereal glow. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for highlighter

• exciter
• firefighter
• igniter
• lamplighter
• reciter
• screenwriter
• scriptwriter
• songwriter
• sportswriter
• typewriter
• biter
• brighter

Kids Definition

highlighter

noun

high·​light·​er

: a pen with a broad felt tip and brightly colored transparent ink for marking selected passages in a text