Words / B2

EMF-uh-sis/ˈemfəsɪs/

Emphasis is special importance placed on something: place / put / lay emphasis on; emphasis on skills. Emphasize is already in the dictionary (US spelling of the verb). Stress is a close twin. Emphases is a rare plural. Do not write “emphasis on to do” — use emphasis on + noun/-ing. In speech, emphasis is also extra force on a word.

Meaning

Special importance given to something (place / put emphasis on).

Examples

• “The new syllabus places more emphasis on spoken English.”
• “The new syllabus places more emphasis on speaking.”
• “Wrong emphasis in the quote changed the witness’s meaning, which is the stress-in-speech sense.”

Good to know

place / put emphasis on + noun/-ing. Verb: emphasise (UK) / emphasize (US, already listed). Close: stress. Plural rare: emphases.

Near in meaning

stress

New