EMPHASIS Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

emphasis

noun

ˈem(p)-fə-səs

Definition of emphasis

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

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 House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’s emphasis on corruption reflects rising concern among voters about government ethics. — Karen Tumulty, Washington Post, 29 July 2026 As the Atkins Diet and its emphasis on protein swept the nation in the 1990s, Jack Link's grew alongside competitors like Oberto, which had sold its flagship jerky in national Safeway stores since the mid-1960s, and Slim Jim's meat sticks. — Tom Huddleston Jr. zachary Green, CNBC, 29 July 2026 The method suggests a writer who is interested in design as much as momentum, and the books seem to reflect that same emphasis on sequence, logic, and movement. — Matt Emma, USA Today, 29 July 2026 His emphasis on nostalgia and family experiences aligns with messaging from Pure Michigan, the state’s tourism arm. — Janelle D. James, ABC News, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for emphasis

Recent Examples of Synonyms for emphasis

Noun

As team president Mark Donovan put it on Wednesday while speaking at the opening of training camp at Missouri Western, the focus forward began almost instantly after the Chiefs lost their season finale to the Raiders in Las Vegas.

— Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
The new teams are part of a larger focus on school safety across Georgia following the 2024 mass shooting at Apalachee High School.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of focus

Noun

Ionescu was held scoreless in the second quarter as the home team turned its defensive intensity up a notch and carried a 56-53 lead into the locker room thanks to Burrell’s 13 points and Brink’s 11.

— Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Compared with the blues styles of other Southern regions, Delta blues was distinguished by its emotional intensity, which was projected through the lyrics of the songs and underscored by the players’ often aggressive attack on the guitar strings.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Definition of intensity

Noun

In a terrifying moment that the Torres family said caused intense stress, a lightning bolt hit their house.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
But when stress, pollution, hormonal fluctuations, heat styling, and everyday life leave hair brittle, dull, and prone to breakage, there’s only so much a topical treatment can do.

— Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 27 July 2026

Definition of stress

Noun

If Yesavage can maintain that aggressiveness over the rest of the season, the Jays won’t have to worry about their funky righty.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Cannon breaks down the accountability, aggressiveness and the perspective needed to play effective defense after the team’s reset week.

— John W. Davis, Oc Register, 5 July 2026

Definition of aggressiveness

Noun

Magnesium, on the other hand, shows much more potential, with the same quantity of water containing 2,980 kg (6,570 lb) of the element, roughly the weight of a 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty Cargo Truck … so, a lot.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Black Americans have been feeling the weight of this political climate for years now, not as a single blow, but as one thing after another.

— Melissa S. Johnson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026

Definition of weight

Noun

The design is laid-back and a little bit funky, just like Austin, with minimalist furnishings, warm natural materials, and local artwork, plus floor-to-ceiling windows that draw your attention out to Austin’s natural beauty.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
Too many brands exhaust their marketing budgets fighting for attention during the primary event when real power lies in owning the transitional micro-moment immediately following exertion.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of attention

Browse Nearby Words

emphases

emphasis

emphasize

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Style

“Emphasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emphasis. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of emphasis

noun

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