What does accentuating mean?
"Accentuating" is the present participle of the verb "accentuate," meaning to emphasize something or make it more noticeable. When someone is accentuating a feature, they are deliberately drawing attention to it — a designer might choose a neckline that is accentuating the collarbone, while a report might be accused of accentuating problems rather than solving them. The word carries a neutral-to-formal register and appears frequently in fashion writing, art criticism, psychology, and analysis of social trends, where it often describes forces that heighten existing contrasts or inequalities. Its most famous cultural appearance is in the 1944 song "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," which urged listeners to focus on life's bright side. Because emphasis can be constructive or distorting, the word's connotation depends heavily on context: accentuating strengths sounds admirable, while accentuating divisions suggests making things worse by magnifying them.
verb (present participle of accentuate)The present participle of "accentuate": to emphasize or make more noticeable, whether a feature, quality, or difference.
- To emphasize or give prominence to something, such as a feature, quality, or contrast.
- To make something more distinct or noticeable, as light or design can do to physical features.
"The tailored jacket was cut in a way that was accentuating her shoulders."
"The lighting in the gallery was carefully designed, accentuating the texture of each canvas."
"Rather than resolving their disagreements, the debate served only to accentuate them."
Johnny Mercer's 1944 hit told you to 'accentuate the positive' — and grammar nerds note that the song's advice is itself an act of accentuation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accentuating
"Accentuating" derives from the Latin verb "accentuare," formed from "accentus" ("song added to speech"), itself from "ad-" ("toward") plus "canere" ("to sing"). The root entered English via Medieval Latin, with "accentuate" attested from the early 18th century in the sense of marking pronunciation stress before broadening to mean emphasizing anything. It shares its singing-related Latin root with "accent," "chant," and "cantata."
Related word forms
How accentuating is actually used
Register is neutral to slightly formal; common in fashion, art criticism, psychology, and analytical writing. Often used with abstract nouns (differences, problems) or physical features. The idiom 'accentuate the positive' (from the 1944 song) gives it a familiar cultural resonance.
Easily confused with accentuating
Exacerbating means making a bad situation worse, while accentuating simply means emphasizing or drawing attention to something, which may be neutral or positive.