verb
accentuate
uhk-SEHN-choo-ayt
Accentuate (verb) means to make something more noticeable or prominent; to emphasize. Example: “The dim lighting accentuated the shadows across the room.”
verb
1
To make something more noticeable or prominent; to emphasize.
"Eating meat does not conform to God's original intention, and resorting to carnivorism merely accentuates an unattractive part of human nature."
— Mark H Bernstein, Without A Tear (2004)
"The dim lighting accentuated the shadows across the room."
"Her red lipstick accentuated her smile."
"Several digital effects are supported by Deck, ranging from a digital equalizer, which lets you accentuate or attenuate certain frequencies, to a stereoizer, which processes a mono- phonic recording to simulate stereo."
— Macworld, PC World Communications (1991)
"Soft girl makeup, as the name suggests is a pastel, sweet style that focuses on accentuating natural features with a signature element being blush and faux freckles."
— Vaishnavi Maloth, Popular Makeup Aesthetics to Follow (2022)
How to use accentuate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo highlight or draw extra attention to a feature or quality.
Common pairings
accentuate the positive
accentuate features
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- accentuates
- Past tense
- accentuated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The dim lighting _____ the shadows across the room.
Etymology
From Latin accentus (see accent) via the verb accentuare, "to add stress or emphasis to."
Related words
Rhymes for accentuate
See all rhymes for accentuate →Frequently asked questions
What does “accentuate” mean?
The word “accentuate” means to make something more noticeable or prominent; to emphasize. In plain terms, to highlight or draw extra attention to a feature or quality.
How do you pronounce “accentuate”?
“Accentuate” is pronounced uhk-SEHN-choo-ayt (/əkˈsɛn.t͡ʃu.eɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “accentuate” in a sentence?
Here is “accentuate” used in a sentence: “The dim lighting accentuated the shadows across the room.”
What is another word for “accentuate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “accentuate” include accent and betone.
What part of speech is “accentuate”?
“Accentuate” is a verb.
Where does the word “accentuate” come from?
The word “accentuate” comes from Latin. From Latin accentus (see accent) via the verb accentuare, "to add stress or emphasis to.".
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