de-emphasize
Definition
- Verb:
- To reduce the emphasis on something; to make something seem less important or prominent: The action of decreasing the attention, importance, or stress given to a particular element, idea, or detail.
Usage
- The verb "de-emphasize" is used to describe the act of deliberately making a subject, feature, or point less central or noticeable. It is often used in contexts like writing, speaking, design, and policy to shift focus away from something.
- It is typically followed by a direct object (what is being de-emphasized).
- Common structures: "de-emphasize [something]" or "de-emphasize the importance/role of [something]".
Examples
- Verb:
Advanced Usage
- "to de-emphasize the significance of": to reduce the perceived importance of an event or fact.
- "to de-emphasize in favor of": to reduce focus on one thing to give more attention to another.
Variants and Related Words
- De-emphasis (noun): The act or result of reducing emphasis.
- De-emphasized (adjective): Describing something that has had its emphasis reduced.
Synonyms
- Downplay: To make something seem less important than it really is.
- Minimize: To reduce something, especially something negative, to the smallest possible amount or degree.
- Understate: To describe or represent something as being smaller or less important than it actually is.
Antonyms
- Emphasize: To give special importance or prominence to something.
- Highlight: To draw special attention to.
- Stress: To emphasize a point or idea.
Related Phrases
- To play down: A phrasal verb meaning to make something appear less important or serious (similar to downplay).
- To soft-pedal: To deliberately avoid emphasizing something; to be less forceful or obvious about it.
Verb
-
reduce the emphasis
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ gần giống
