Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "emphasis" []

  • Special forcefulness of expression that gives importance to something singled out; stress: a lecture on housekeeping with emphasis on neatness; paused for emphasis, then announced the winner's name. (noun)
  • Special attention or effort directed toward something: a small-town newspaper's emphasis on local affairs. (noun)
  • Prominence given to a syllable, word, or words, as by raising the voice or printing in italic type. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "emphasis" in a sentence
  • "The main emphasis is on regional scenarios for Canada, so the service offers some basic downscaling, and ability to couple the scenarios with other regional data sources, such as data from weather monitoring stations in the region."
  • "The longer the shift in emphasis is delayed, the lower the likelihood of the collective effort needed to restore the health of an interdependent and interconnected global economy."
  • "Then came the Revolution -- and a change in emphasis from the minutiae of rural life to the national struggle."