Meaning & Definition of Emphasis in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: Forceful weight given to something, making it stand out.

  Example Sentence: The teacher placed an emphasis on the importance of homework.

• Definition: A particular stress laid upon certain words or phrases in speech.

  Example Sentence: The emphasis in her voice indicated her excitement.

• Definition: A focus on a specific area or subject.

  Example Sentence: The emphasis of the conference was on climate change.

Etymology

Origin: From Latin emphasis, from Greek emphasis, meaning 'appearance, expression, signification'.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• place emphasis on: To give special importance to something.
• emphasis on style over substance: Focusing more on appearance than actual quality.
• put the emphasis on: To highlight or stress a specific point.

Translations

• Spanish: énfasis

• French: accent

• German: Betonung

• Russian: акцент

Related Words

• stress: The importance given to a specific factor or point.

• highlight: To make something stand out or more visible.

• priority: Something given more importance than others.

Slang Meanings of emphasis

• Meaning: Putting extra weight on something.

  Example Sentence: He really put an emphasis on that point during the meeting.

• Meaning: Making something sound more important than it is.

  Example Sentence: Stop with the emphasis, it's just a minor issue.