Accentuate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ik-ˈsen(t)-shə-ˌwāt/ ac·cen·tu·ate

Meaning & Definition of Accentuate

Accentuate (verb)

  1. to make (something) more prominent or noticeable, accent, emphasize; also, intensify

Accentuate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to indicate the importance of by centering attention on

    "let's accentuate the saxophones during this piece by having the sax players stand up"

    similar: accent, emphasize, feature, foreground, highlight, illuminate, play up, point (up), press, punctuate, stress, bear down on, make much of
    related: focus, identify, pinpoint, spotlight, advertise, boost, plug, promote, publicize, overplay
    opposite: de-emphasize, play down
    near: tone (down), underemphasize, understate, belittle, discount, disparage, minimize

  2. to make markedly greater in measure or degree

    "the foul weather merely accentuated my feelings of depression"

    similar: amp (up), amplify, beef (up), boost, consolidate, deepen, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, redouble, step up, strengthen
    related: broaden, enlarge, expand, extend, lengthen, accelerate, hasten, quicken, emphasize, point (up), sharpen, stress, augment, enforce, reinforce, restrengthen, supplement, maximize, enliven, jazz (up), aggravate, exacerbate
    opposite: abate, moderate
    near: decrease, diminish, lessen, let up (on), reduce, subdue, tone (down), weaken, dwindle, recede, subside, taper (off), wane, alleviate, ease, lighten

  3. to make more apparent

    "unfortunately, the new bedspread just accentuates the dinginess of the curtains behind the bed"

    similar: bring out, emphasize, italicize, stress, underline, underscore
    related: amplify, beef (up), boost, reinforce, strengthen, augment, deepen, enhance, enlarge, heighten, magnify, maximize, supplement, enliven, jazz (up)
    opposite: de-emphasize
    near: decrease, diminish, lessen, minimize, reduce, subdue, tone (down), understate, weaken

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Accentuate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Accentuate:

accent, emphasize, feature, foreground, highlight, illuminate, play up, point (up), press, punctuate, stress, amp (up), amplify, beef (up), boost, consolidate, deepen, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, redouble, step up, strengthen, bring out, italicize, underline, underscore, bear down on, make much of

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Accentuate

Words with the opposite meaning of Accentuate:

de-emphasize, play down, abate, moderate

Related Words for Accentuate

focus, identify, pinpoint, spotlight, advertise, plug, promote, publicize, overplay, broaden, enlarge, expand, extend, lengthen, accelerate, hasten, quicken, sharpen, augment, enforce, reinforce, restrengthen, supplement, maximize, enliven, jazz (up), aggravate, exacerbate

Near Antonyms of Accentuate

tone (down), underemphasize, understate, belittle, discount, disparage, minimize, decrease, diminish, lessen, let up (on), reduce, subdue, weaken, dwindle, recede, subside, taper (off), wane, alleviate, ease, lighten

Word Forms of Accentuate

Inflections: accentuated, accentuating

Derived words: accentuation (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Accentuate

borrowed from Medieval Latin accentuātus, past participle of accentuāre "to accent, stress," derivative of Latin accentus accent:1

First known use: circa 1719

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Accentuate

Frequently Asked Questions about Accentuate

What does "Accentuate" mean?

"Accentuate" means to make (something) more prominent or noticeable, accent, emphasize; also, intensify. As a verb, it is defined as: to make (something) more prominent or noticeable, accent, emphasize; also, intensify. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Accentuate"?

Other words for "Accentuate" include accent, emphasize, feature, foreground, highlight, illuminate, play up and point (up). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Accentuate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Accentuate"?

There are 58 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Accentuate". Common alternatives include accent, emphasize, feature, foreground, highlight, illuminate, play up, point (up), press and punctuate.

What is the opposite of "Accentuate"?

Antonyms of "Accentuate" include de-emphasize, play down, abate and moderate. Near antonyms include tone (down), underemphasize, understate and belittle.

How do you use "Accentuate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Accentuate" in a sentence: "let's accentuate the saxophones during this piece by having the sax players stand up"; "the foul weather merely accentuated my feelings of depression"; "unfortunately, the new bedspread just accentuates the dinginess of the curtains behind the bed".

Is "Accentuate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Accentuate" is a verb.

Is "Accentuate" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Accentuate" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Accentuate"?

"Accentuate" is pronounced /ik-ˈsen(t)-shə-ˌwāt/ and divided into syllables as ac·cen·tu·ate.