What does emphasise mean?
To emphasise is to single something out for special importance — to stress it, whether through the voice, the written word, or visual design. A speaker may emphasise a key phrase by raising her voice; a report may emphasise the urgency of reform by devoting its opening pages to it. The word carries no strong emotional charge of its own: it simply signals that particular attention is being directed somewhere, making it invaluable in argument, instruction, and analysis. It is the standard British spelling of what Americans write as 'emphasize', and it derives from Greek roots via Latin — the related noun 'emphasis' originally referred to the forceful implication of a word rather than spoken stress. Today 'emphasise' belongs firmly to formal and informal English alike, pairing naturally with words such as 'importance', 'need', and 'point'.
verbTo give special importance, attention, or stress to something, either in speech (by stressing a word or phrase) or in emphasis of an idea or point.
- To lay particular stress or importance on something when speaking or writing.
- To pronounce a word, syllable, or phrase with special force or prominence.
- To make something visually prominent, as by bold type, colour, or position.
"The report emphasises the need for early intervention in childhood education."
"The minister took care to emphasise that no final decision had been made."
"In the phrase 'I never said she stole it', each word you choose to emphasise changes the meaning entirely."
Every time you say 'emphasise', you're echoing a Greek word that literally meant 'to show inside' — pointing at what lies within a statement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of emphasise
'Emphasise' comes from the noun 'emphasis', borrowed in the sixteenth century from Latin 'emphasis', itself taken from Greek 'emphasis', meaning 'significance, forceful expression', from 'emphainein', 'to show forth or display'. In early use, 'emphasis' referred to implied meaning rather than vocal stress; the verb form developed later, first appearing in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as writers needed a term for the act of stressing words or ideas. Cognates include 'emphatic' and, more distantly, other words from the Greek root 'phainein' ('to show'), such as 'phenomenon' and 'diaphanous'.
Related word forms
How emphasise is actually used
'Emphasise' is the standard British spelling; American English uses 'emphasize'. The -ise/-ize distinction follows the wider convention across verbs like 'organise/organize' and 'realise/realize'. The verb is neutral in register, appearing equally in journalism, academic prose, and everyday speech. It commonly takes a noun clause or 'that'-clause as its object.
Easily confused with emphasise
'Emphasise' is the British spelling and 'emphasize' is the American spelling of the same verb; they are identical in meaning.
'Emphasis' is the noun meaning special weight or importance, while 'emphasise' is the verb describing the act of giving that weight.