Word
emphasis
Phoneticsem·pha·sis, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛmfəsəs/
UK/ˈɛmfəsˌɪs/
Definitions
01importance or focus
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Academic
n. special importance or attention given to something to make it stand out.
n. special importance, value, or prominence given to something. Often used with the preposition 'on'.
日本語:重点※
Español:énfasis
“The school puts a lot of emphasis on music and art.”
“The new government policy places a heavy emphasis on renewable energy investment to meet its climate targets by the end of the decade.”
Usage
Commonly follows the verbs 'place', 'put', or 'lay'.
Pitfall
The course puts an emphasis to practical skills.
The course puts an emphasis on practical skills.
The noun 'emphasis' almost always takes the preposition 'on' when identifying the object of focus.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02stress in speech
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. extra force you use when saying a particular word or syllable.
n. the stress or vocal force given to a syllable or word in speech to distinguish it from others.
日本語:アクセント※
“You should put the emphasis on the second syllable of the word.”
“By shifting the emphasis to the final word of the sentence, the speaker completely changed the underlying meaning of the statement.”
03visual highlighting
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic · Technical
n. using special formatting like bold or italics to make text stand out.
n. the use of typographical features, such as italics, boldface, or underlining, to highlight specific text.
日本語:強調※
“I used italics for emphasis so the reader would notice the main point.”
“The editor suggested using boldface for emphasis on key terms throughout the manual to improve readability for new users.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “emphasis” in context.
Verb
01. place emphasis
“The new curriculum will place emphasis on practical skills rather than theory.”
verb + noun
Adjective
02. increasing emphasis
“There is an increasing emphasis on mental health awareness in the workplace.”
adj + noun
03. particular emphasis
“The course puts particular emphasis on improving conversational fluency.”
adj + noun
Noun
04. emphasis shift
“There has been a recent emphasis shift toward renewable energy sources.”
noun + noun
Real-World Examples
“And this is very important for me as a coach.”
In the Netherlands , there has always been a strong emphasis on attacking football, which is why Xavi fitted the bill.” “Stop looking for evidence that students are using these tools to cheat and shift our emphasis to looking for evidence that learning has occurred.” Etymology
From Latin emphasis, from Ancient Greek ἔμφασις (émphasis, “significance”), from ἐμφαίνω (emphaínō, “to present; to indicate”), from ἐν- (en-, “in”) + φαίνω (phaínō, “to show”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/emphasis
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0