accentuate Hear it!

accentuate definition

ac·cen·tu·ate (ak sen′c̸ho̵̅o̅ āt′, ək-)

transitive verb accentuated -·at′ed, accentuating -·at′·ing

  1. to pronounce or mark with an accent or stress
  2. to emphasize; heighten the effect of

Etymology: < ML accentuatus, pp. of accentuare < L accentus, accent

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

accentuate Synonyms

accentuate

v.

stress, accent, strengthen; see emphasize.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

accentuate Usage Examples

Object

  • curve: Shades, texture and dapple are worked gently into the rocking horse body to accentuate the natural curves and muscles.

Used with why or when

  • what: Don't dwell on the negative things in your life but accentuate what 's good about it!

Modifying Another Word

  • really: The slight reverb and the occasionally whammy on the chord really accentuate what is a very simple and effective melody.

Preposition: by

  • fact: Our Lady's presence is accentuated by the fact that it is Suffolk's biggest Catholic church.

Modifying Another Word

  • merely: The privatization policies had merely accentuated the power of the market principle over the principle of redistribution.
accentuate usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

accentuate quotes

A science is said to be useful if its development tends to accentuate the existing inequities in the distribution of wealth, or more directly promotes the destruction of human life.

-Hardy, Godfrey Harold

accentuate quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"accentuate." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/accentuate>

APA Style

accentuate. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/accentuate

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment