Did you know?
When you accentuate something you put an “accent,” or emphasis, on it. There’s no need to stress out if you don’t know the word’s history, though; its journey into the English language was very straightforward. It comes from Latin accentus, meaning “accent” (which itself comes in part from cantus, meaning “song”), and since the early 18th century, its meanings haven’t changed much. The word was initially used as a synonym of the verb accent to mean “to pronounce with greater stress or force,” which is a small leap from today’s meaning of “to make something more noticeable; to emphasize.” One excellent way to remember not only how to pronounce accentuate but also its etymological connection to song is the classic (and helpfully titled) tune “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, which has been performed by such luminaries as Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, and Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters.
Examples of accentuate in a Sentence
Bailey Richards, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Going for a cut that accentuates your best facial features and hair texture can be a foolproof way to walk out of the hair salon feeling happy.
—Julie Ricevuto, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2025
Jones is a big, strong, tough, and surprisingly raw prospect considering his premium experience against SEC talent, but a move inside might help negate his flaws (handling speed rushers) while accentuating his positives (heavy hands), potentially unlocking Pro Bowl upside.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Jose Altuve’s 17 chances in left field Intrigue has surrounded almost all of Altuve’s starts in left field, but the relative lack of action he’s received accentuated why the Astros moved him there in the first place.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Accentuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accentuate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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accentuate
verb
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