# emphasis

/ˈɛmfəsəs/ (US) · /ˈɛmfəsˌɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/emphasis
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. importance or focus

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

special importance or attention given to something to make it stand out.

For teachers: special importance, value, or prominence given to something. Often used with the preposition 'on'.

- 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'.

### 2. stress in speech

noun · CEFR B2

extra force you use when saying a particular word or syllable.

For teachers: the stress or vocal force given to a syllable or word in speech to distinguish it from others.

- 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.

### 3. visual highlighting

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

using special formatting like bold or italics to make text stand out.

For teachers: the use of typographical features, such as italics, boldface, or underlining, to highlight specific text.

- 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.

## Examples

- The school puts a lot of emphasis on music and art.
- During the job interview, the manager placed heavy emphasis on the need for strong communication skills.
- While the previous curriculum focused on rote memorization, the new syllabus shifts the emphasis toward critical thinking and independent research projects.

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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.