noun
emphasis
EHM-fuh-sihs
noun
1
Special importance or weight placed on something.
"The school puts a strong emphasis on reading skills."
"There was no emphasis on teamwork in his old job."
2
Extra stress given to a word or syllable when speaking, or highlighting given to text through formatting such as italics or bold.
"She put the emphasis on the wrong word, changing the meaning of the sentence."
How to Use Emphasis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExtra importance, weight, or stress given to something, whether it's an idea, a word, or a piece of text.
Common pairings
put emphasis on
special emphasis
emphasis added
Word Forms
emphases plural
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The school puts a strong _____ on reading skills.
Etymology
From Greek emphasis, "significance" or "appearance," from emphainein, "to show clearly."