emphasis
Force behind words
Emphasis is special stress or importance given to something.
In speech, emphasis falls on particular words or syllables to highlight meaning: She put emphasis on the word "never".
In writing, emphasis comes through italics, repetition, or structure.
More broadly, emphasis indicates where attention or priority lies: The company's emphasis on customer service, with emphasis on practical skills.
Thick, dark lettering
- italicsSloped typeface for emphasis
- underlineLine beneath text
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
- capitalizationUsing big letters properly
font · asterisk · exclamation · punctuation · boldness · formatting · annotation · markup
Regional speech pattern
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- inflectionWord form alteration
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
- prosodyStudy of verse rhythm
syllable · pronunciation · articulation · modulation · pitch · accentuation · downbeat · upbeat
Status of greater importance
- significanceQuality of mattering
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
- relevanceState of mattering here
criticality · urgency · salience · precedence · focus · centrality · gravity · consequence
Adjacent contrasting placement
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
- counterpointSimultaneous independent melodies
opposition · relief · sharpening · accentuation · delineation · separation · divergence · polarity
Act of redoing
- anaphoraRepeated opening words
- hyperboleRhetorical extreme exaggeration
- amplificationIncrease in intensity
- climaxPoint of greatest intensity
exclamation · parallelism · antithesis · intensifier · reiteration · hammering · drumbeat · refrain
boldface
Thick, dark lettering
- italicsSloped typeface for emphasis
- underlineLine beneath text
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
capitalization · font · asterisk · exclamation · punctuation · boldness · formatting · annotation · markup · display
accent
Regional speech pattern
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- inflectionWord form alteration
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
prosody · syllable · pronunciation · articulation · modulation · pitch · accentuation · downbeat · upbeat · rhythm
priority
Status of greater importance
- significanceQuality of mattering
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
relevance · criticality · urgency · salience · precedence · focus · centrality · gravity · consequence · noteworthiness
juxtaposition
Adjacent contrasting placement
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- differentiationRecognizing meaningful differences
- highlightingEmphasizing key parts
counterpoint · opposition · relief · sharpening · accentuation · delineation · separation · divergence · polarity · standout
repetition
Act of redoing
- anaphoraRepeated opening words
- hyperboleRhetorical extreme exaggeration
- amplificationIncrease in intensity
climax · exclamation · parallelism · antithesis · intensifier · reiteration · hammering · drumbeat · refrain
forcefulness
Powerful assertive quality
passion · ardor · zeal · punch · power · strength · potency · insistence · assertiveness · conviction
- actingacting, act, performing, playacting, actor
- importanceimportance, significance, consequence, weight, gravity
- Speech Elementsspeech, word choice, diction, pronunciation, articulation
- stands outstandout, prominence, visibility, highlight, contrast
- design principlescontrast, proportion, symmetry, balance, composition
- Dictiondiction, enunciation, articulation, elocution, clear speech
emphasisde-emphasis
Reduction in importance
underemphasis · minimization · unimportance · disregard · insignificance
- too much emphasis
- dramatic emphasisForceful expressive highlighting
emphasize, emphasized, emphasizing, emphases, emphasizes, overemphasize, overemphasis, overemphasized, de-emphasize