Accentuateto make something more noticeable or emphasized means to make something standappear or become visible in a noticeable way out more clearly or to draw attention to it. It can also mean to give a word a stronger stress or accentthe special pronunciation pattern used in speech when speaking.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ækˈsɛn.tʃu.eɪt/
Easy pronunciation: ak-SEN-choo-AYT (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on the second syllable: SEN.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Accentuate Meaning
to make something stand out
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to stress or highlight something as important or noticeable
Example: The lighting accentuated the painting’s bright colors.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- emphasize — A direct and common substitute in this sense.
- emphasise — Same word as emphasize in British spelling.
- stress — Works when the meaning is to give special importance to something.
- accent — Can work in some contexts, but is less common and more limited in everyday use.
- punctuate — Can mean to make something stand out, but often suggests interruption or emphasis in a specific style.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Accentuate
Meaning 2
to pronounce with stronger stress or accent
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to put special stress on a syllable, word, or sound when speaking
Example: She accentuated the final syllable of the word.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- accent — Works well in the speech-pronunciation sense.
- stress — Can mean to give extra emphasis to a syllable or word.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Accentuate Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- emphasize
- stress
- accent
- punctuate
to pronounce with stronger stress or accent
- accent
- stress
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using accentuate to mean simply 'decorate' or 'improve' without any sense of making something more noticeable.
- Mixing up the visual/emphasis meaning with the pronunciation meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does accentuate mean in simple English?
It means to make something stand out more, or to give a word or sound stronger stress when speaking.
What are common synonyms for accentuate?
Common synonyms for the main meaning are emphasize and stress. In speech, accent and stress can also work.
Is accentuate the same as emphasize?
Usually, yes in the main sense. Accentuate is often used when something is made more noticeable or more strongly highlighted.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.