# highlighting

/ˈhaɪˌɫaɪtɪŋ/ (US) · /hˈaɪlaɪtɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/highlighting
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. marking text

noun · CEFR B1

the act of marking important words in a book or document with a bright colour.

For teachers: the visual emphasis of text through the application of transparent, brightly coloured ink or digital overlays.

- Too much highlighting in your textbook can make it harder to find the truly important facts.
- The student's excessive highlighting of the primary source material actually obscured the most critical arguments during her final review.

### 2. hair treatment

noun · CEFR B2

the process of making some parts of your hair lighter than the rest.

For teachers: the cosmetic process of lightening specific strands of hair to create contrast and dimension.

- She is going to the salon for highlighting before her sister's wedding.
- The stylist recommended subtle highlighting to complement her natural base tone rather than a full dramatic colour change.

## Examples

- The student finished the highlighting in her textbook.
- Effective highlighting involves picking out only the most important keywords rather than marking entire paragraphs.
- The report's highlighting of systemic failures prompted an immediate internal investigation into the department's safety protocols and oversight mechanisms.

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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.