SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
accentuate
verb
To make a feature more noticeable or emphasize its importance.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Make more noticeable
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topUnderline and underscore are often figurative; accentuate can also describe a visual effect.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See accentuate in use
The bright frame helped accentuate the colors in the painting.
For an exhibition of invented book covers, Ari gave one series a distinctive border made of uneven blue squares. A plain background helped accentuate that feature without adding another competing pattern.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license