1
as in focus
a special notice or importance given to something
a prep school with a long-established emphasis on sports
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intensity
the quality or state of being forceful (as in expression)
the emphasis with which my parents issued the warning about smoking left no doubt that they were serious
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 emphasis
Jury members praised the thoroughness and ambition of the project, highlighting both its technical sophistication and its scope, with particular emphasis on its ability to combine medical sensitivity, function and an overall strong art direction, which included a 100-page brand book.
—
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Organic Tuscany offers weeklong hands-on Italian cooking classes at a beautiful 19th-century villa in central Tuscany, with an emphasis on local, organic ingredients.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
That places an emphasis on tangible experiences versus notional projects that may or may not go anywhere.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 June 2026
June is bringing emphasis to everything from your debts, taxes, loans and investments to your commissions, subscriptions, partner finances and emotional spending.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for emphasis
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Organic Tuscany offers weeklong hands-on Italian cooking classes at a beautiful 19th-century villa in central Tuscany, with an emphasis on local, organic ingredients.
—Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
That places an emphasis on tangible experiences versus notional projects that may or may not go anywhere.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 June 2026
June is bringing emphasis to everything from your debts, taxes, loans and investments to your commissions, subscriptions, partner finances and emotional spending.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for emphasis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emphasis
Noun
-
Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says the current outbreak shows what consequences of that narrower focus have been and why rarer Ebola species cannot be ignored.—
Paul Adepoju,
Scientific American,
14 June 2026
-
As firms scale, governance, incentives, and legacy practices shift focus from customer value and human flourishing.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Ancelotti pointed out that a number of underdogs at this year’s World Cup have been showing great intensity.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
-
Two standoffs end without suspect in custody After two standoffs — one Tuesday and another overnight into Wednesday morning — police have come up empty, and the intensity of the search is rising.—
Laura Bauer
June 18,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Two children at a Redlands elementary school faced racial harassment, discrimination and teasing for months, resulting in them being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, their mother alleged in a lawsuit filed against the school district.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
My advice to early career scientists is to follow your passion and not be discouraged by the current stress on the system.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Yet signs of pressing persist as the Padres steer solutions toward aggressiveness on the basepaths.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
The aggressiveness was needed on a night Spurs head coach directed players to pick Brunson up full-court after San Antonio makes.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The company developed the system with strict size, weight, and power requirements in mind.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
-
Player was the first to take on the slam’s weight and win it anyway.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
If attention arrives fast, share credit and keep momentum steady by choosing the next clear milestone.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
-
McKay admired how Greenberg, who has devoted his life to drawing attention to the climate crisis, has used every platform at his disposal to magnify the stakes of global warming.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Emphasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emphasis. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
