I. high ‧ light 1 W3 AC /ˈhaɪlaɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ highlight , ↑ highlighting ; verb : ↑ highlight ]
1 . to make a problem or subject easy to notice so that people pay attention to it:
Your résumé should highlight your skills and achievements.
2 . to mark written words with a special coloured pen, or in a different colour on a computer:
Use the cursor to highlight the name of the document you want to print.
3 . to make some parts of your hair a lighter colour than the rest
—highlighting noun [uncountable]
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THESAURUS
▪ emphasize to say strongly or show clearly that a fact, idea etc is especially important:
Our company emphasizes the need for good communication between staff.
▪ stress to emphasize something when you are talking about a subject:
Most schools stress the importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning.
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He stressed the need for parents to listen to their children.
▪ highlight to show that something is important, so that people will pay special attention to it:
This case highlights the need for tougher laws on gun ownership.
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The report highlights the decline in the numbers of native plants and insects.
▪ underline/underscore to help to show clearly that a fact is true, especially a fact that is already known:
These attacks underline the fact that the security situation here remains fragile.
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The president’s speech repeatedly underscored the progress that has been made.
▪ accentuate to show something clearly and make it easier to notice:
The recent economic crisis has accentuated the gap between the rich and the poor.
▪ overemphasize to emphasize something too much:
The relation between food and health is often overemphasized in my view.
▪ play up to emphasize something and make it seem more important than it really is, especially to get advantages for yourself:
The story has been played up by the media.
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The Labour party had a great time playing up the Conservatives’ problems.
II. highlight 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ highlight , ↑ highlighting ; verb : ↑ highlight ]
1 . [countable] the most important, interesting, or enjoyable part of something such as a holiday, performance, or sports competition
highlight of
That weekend in Venice was definitely the highlight of our trip.
highlight from
At 11.30 we’ll be showing highlights from the Third Round of the FA Cup.
2 . highlights [plural] areas of hair that have been made a lighter colour than the rest
3 . [countable] technical a light bright area on a painting or photograph