highlight

/ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/

Say it: HY-lite

1. verb To attract special attention to something or make it stand out.
The speaker used a personal story to highlight the importance of community service.
2. noun The most interesting, exciting, or memorable part of an event or period of time.
The highlight of our trip to Paris was visiting the Louvre.
3. verb To mark text with a fluorescent pen to make it more visible.
She highlighted all the key dates in the syllabus.
4. noun A bright or light-colored area on a surface, especially in a painting or photograph.
The artist added a few white highlights to the waves to make them look realistic.

📖 Seen in the wild

The speaker used a vivid anecdote to highlight the main point of her presentation.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ highlight in a sentence

The report highlights the need for immediate action on climate change.
Let's watch the highlights from last night's game.
In your resume, you should highlight your most relevant skills and experiences.
She got subtle blonde highlights in her hair for the summer.
The documentary highlights the struggles of endangered species.
His speech will highlight the company's achievements over the past year.
The highlight of the festival was the final fireworks display.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

emphasize spotlight underline stress accentuate feature point up showcase

emphasize · more about giving stress or force to a point to ensure it's understood.

spotlight · a stronger term, suggesting intense and focused public attention.

underline · a metaphor for marking as important, often used for principles or facts.

stress · often used for verbal emphasis, pointing out what is most critical.

Opposites: downplay, de-emphasize, understate, ignore, overlook

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'highlight' is a straightforward combination of 'high' and 'light', first appearing in the 1600s. Its original use was in art, referring to the brightest, most illuminated point in a painting. Over time, this literal meaning expanded metaphorically to mean the most prominent or important part of any experience or topic.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

highlight the importance ofhighlight the need forthe highlight of the tripnews highlightssports highlightssubtle hair highlights

'Highlight' is a versatile and common word suitable for almost any context. Its primary function is to draw attention, whether literally with a marker or figuratively to a key point. While perfectly acceptable in formal writing, in some business contexts it can feel slightly like jargon, especially in phrases like 'highlighting key takeaways'. Be aware of its dual meaning as both a verb (to emphasize) and a noun (the best part).

Word family: highlighter, highlighted

💬 Quick answers

What does 'highlight' mean?

It means to draw special attention to something, or it can refer to the best or most memorable part of an experience. It also has a literal meaning of marking text with a colored pen.

What is the difference between 'highlight' and 'emphasize'?

'Highlight' means to make something stand out from the rest, often because it's important or interesting. 'Emphasize' means to give special importance or stress to a point, often to ensure it's understood.

Is 'highlight' a formal word?

It is a neutral word, appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. It is commonly used in business, academic, and everyday conversation.

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