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Glite Dictionary
to de-emphasize

to de-emphasize

5.3
Make something seem less important
  • verb
  • /diːˈɛmfəˌsaɪz/
  • US
translation icon : desenfocar
  • The teacher decided to de-emphasize grades to encourage students to focus on learning rather than competition.

I think it de emphasizes perfection.

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Examples

  • I think it de emphasizes perfection.

    MIT OpenCourseWare

  • And we're going to we're going to de emphasize that now in this part, because we've seen that the thing exists by way of opposition to other things.

  • And then the next level is the first thing you're talking about where we are de emphasizing the need to feel the pain of hard work and competition, right?

  • Since we had de-emphasized historical coverage, could we do without (for example) a course on eighteenth-century literature?

    Academic text (2005)

  • In the meeting, the manager suggested we de-emphasize the budget issues to foster a more positive discussion.

  • To promote teamwork, the coach chose to de-emphasize individual statistics in the players' evaluations.

Synonyms

to diminish
vsto de-emphasize
201 3.7

To become less in size, importance, or value

specifically lowers emphasis or perceived importance rather than physical size
to downplay
vsto de-emphasize
59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

reduces actual importance or emphasis rather than only appearance
to minimize
vsto de-emphasize
54 4.8

Make something seem less serious or important

actually reduces the importance or emphasis given to something
to tone down
vsto de-emphasize
44 3.7

To make something less strong, for example a sound, color or feeling

reduces importance or emphasis rather than only softening expression
to lessen
vsto de-emphasize
34 2.8

To make something smaller in amount or strength

focuses on lowering importance or emphasis rather than general quantity
to trivialize
vsto de-emphasize
  • US
28 7.0

Make something seem less important or serious

lowers importance more neutrally without implying worthlessness
to attenuate
vsto de-emphasize
9 7.9

To make something weaker, like sound or light

relates specifically to reducing importance or emphasis rather than general weakening
to dial down
vsto de-emphasize
4 4.1

To make a feeling, sound, or action less strong

aims at reducing importance or emphasis specifically rather than overall level
to deemphasize
vsto de-emphasize
  • US
2 5.9

Make an idea or topic seem less important

is the same idea but written with a hyphen
to deaden
vsto de-emphasize
1 6.1

To make an outline, sound, or feeling less clear

targets lowering importance or emphasis instead of reducing clarity
to underemphasize
vsto de-emphasize
1 6.7

To give too little attention to something

deliberately reduces importance rather than understating it inadvertently
to defocus
vsto de-emphasize
6.7

To move attention away from something so people think about it less

targets lowering importance or emphasis rather than diverting attention

Antonyms

to emphasize
  • US
397 3.7

To show that something is very important

How Emphasized

to highlight
340 3.3
to emphasize
  • US
397 3.7
to mention
∞ 1.0
to de-emphasize
  • US
5.3
to ignore
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

de-emphasize infinitive
de-emphasized past
de-emphasized past participle
de-emphasizing present participle
de-emphasizes third person singular

Morphology

de-emphasize = emphasize (transparent) = de + emphasis + ize

The meaning is a straightforward reversal or reduction of 'emphasize', so learners who know the base verb can usually infer it.

Etymology

De-emphasize has the part de- meaning 'remove' or 'reduce' joined to emphasize which means 'give importance' or 'stress'. So, to de-emphasize something is to make it less important or to 'turn down' its importance.