1. Definition of “Emphasis”
“Emphasis” is a noun that refers to special importance, value, or prominence given to something in speech, writing, or any form of communication. It's about highlighting a particular point so that it stands out. For example, “In his speech, the politician put a lot of emphasis on the importance of education reform.”
2. Synonyms
- Stress
- “Stress” as a noun can mean emphasis or special importance given to a particular element. For example, “The stress in this sentence should be on the first syllable.” As a verb, it means to give emphasis or importance to something. For example, “She stressed the need for immediate action.” “Stress” is very similar to “emphasis” and is often used interchangeably, especially when we talk about highlighting a particular part of a text, speech, or idea.
- Accent
- “Accent” as a noun can refer to a special emphasis given to a syllable in pronunciation. In a more general sense, it can also mean a feature that gives prominence or importance to something. For example, “The red color was used as an accent to draw attention to the logo.” It's related to “emphasis” in the way it highlights or gives a particular focus, but it's often used more in the context of visual or auditory elements.
- Highlight
- “Highlight” as a verb means to emphasize or draw attention to something important. For example, “The teacher highlighted the key points in the textbook.” As a noun, it refers to the emphasized or prominent part. For example, “The highlights of the presentation were very clear.” “Highlight” is similar to “emphasis” as it's about making something stand out, usually through a more active process like using a marker (literally or figuratively).
- Emphaticness
- “Emphaticness” is a noun that directly relates to the quality of being emphatic. It emphasizes the forcefulness or the strong assertion of a point. For example, “The emphaticness of his argument convinced many people.” It's a more specific term that focuses on the strength of the emphasis, similar to “emphasis” but with a stronger connotation of a forceful highlighting of a point.