de-emphasize

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz How to pronounce de-emphasize (audio)
Definition of de-emphasizenext
as in to minimize
to reduce in apparent importance you're at a point in your career where you can de-emphasize your academic record and emphasize your work experience

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of de-emphasize Just as some young workers must be redirected from the firms that are de-emphasizing entry-level work, small business owners need to invest in training them. — Revana Sharfuddin, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026 At the very least, players and parents feel the university is de-emphasizing its support for lacrosse. — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 May 2026 Along with his predecessor Pam Bondi, Blanche oversaw a Justice Department that radically de-emphasized the prosecution of white-collar crimes, like the kind the Kaplan twins were convicted of. — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 26 May 2026 However, Sempra is in the process of de-emphasizing its LNG investments. — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for de-emphasize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-emphasize
  1. minimize
  2. downplay
  3. dismiss
  4. soft-pedal
Verb
  • The frack happening beneath us was about half as deep as Mount Everest is high, in a section of oil-rich rock that used to be considered out of reach; other innovations allow for simultaneous fracks, minimizing downtime.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Eco effort As a camp that focuses on conservation, minimizing environmental impact is the cornerstone of the Wilderness Desert Rhino ethos.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • The president downplayed the criticism within his party over the agreement, which would supply the United States and global marketplaces with diesel equivalent to only a little more than one day of global demand.
    — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Eight states sued OpenAI this week, alleging that the AI company caused severe harm to users, many of them underage, while downplaying the risks of its technology.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of downplay
Verb
  • Ben-Gvir dismisses concerns that such policies would cement Israel’s status as a pariah state.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Lower courts had dismissed the case because Asian American students were not underrepresented at the magnet schools compared with the pool of students that applied.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Its screenplay, which Dolan hatched in collaboration with three others, tries to soft-pedal predictable beats that nonetheless end up the only ones getting beaten.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But Paddy’s isn’t Sudz, and the Gang’s efforts to soft-pedal their antics to be more in line with those mainstream bars devolved into typical Sunny-style hostility and off-putting grossness.
    — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026
Definition of soft-pedal

Browse Nearby Words

de-emphasis
de-emphasize
de-emphasized
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Cite this Entry

“De-emphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-emphasize. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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