DE-EMPHASIZE Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

de-emphasize

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈem(p)-fə-ˌsīz

Definition of de-emphasize

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

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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 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 Old-line liberals have blasted the democratic socialist for de-emphasizing a police presence in favor of volunteers and contract workers armed with little more than overdose kits, notepads and phone numbers. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for de-emphasize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-emphasize

Verb

Nor does focusing on Native slavery minimize the weighty importance of Black slavery in US history.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Apple says the finish also minimizes the visibility of the crease while giving the display a matte feel.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of minimize

Verb

Third, Whyte and others dismiss our conclusion because many of the studies examining AI in medicine are simulations.

— Abe Baker-Butler, STAT, 9 Sep. 2026
If the case is not settled, dismissed or dropped before the trial date, it would be heard during the 2028 presidential primary elections.

— Violet Jira, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 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

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de-emphasis

de-emphasize

de-emphasized

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“De-emphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-emphasize. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of de-emphasize

verb

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