# accentuate

/ækˈsɛntʃueɪt/ (US) · /æksˈɛntʃuːˌeɪt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accentuate
Updated: 2026-05-27

## Definition

to make a quality, feeling, or physical feature more noticeable or stronger. You use this when you want to highlight a specific part of something.

For teachers: to make a quality, feature, or physical characteristic more prominent or intense. Often used to describe the enhancement of visual or auditory elements.

## Examples

- The bright red dress will accentuate her figure.
- The lighting in the gallery is designed to accentuate the texture of the oil paintings on the walls.
- While the new software aims to simplify the interface, its bright color palette may actually accentuate the complexity of the underlying data structures for novice users.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.