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Glite Dictionary
to underemphasize

to underemphasize

1 6.7
To give too little attention to something
  • verb
  • /ˌʌndərˈɛmfəˌsaɪz/
translation icon : subestimar
  • We find that the literature on cross-disciplinarity underemphasizes the importance of the collaborative examination of these assumptions.
  • often underemphasized

Examples

  • They acknowledged that plants are often omitted or underemphasized in introductory biology classes, even by knowledgeable teachers.

    Academic text (2010)

  • And we kind of underemphasized service for men.

  • Thus, the former underemphasizes the present, and the latter, the past.

    Academic text (1992)

  • The power of parents to shape their children, though well documented in the literature, may often be underemphasized or even overlooked by schools.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The importance of great power involvement in human security endeavors was underemphasized by Axworthy for two reasons.

    Academic text (2006)

  • We question whether underemphasizing the spiritual dimension provokes spiritual atrophy in students.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Similarly, existing theories of democratization tend to underemphasize the problem of democratization in situations where the polity itself may be fragile.

    Academic text (1998)

  • I have focused my remarks on clarifying the IGE components, and I may have underemphasized the IGE system as a comprehensive and unified alternative to conventional elementary schooling.

    Academic text (1992)

  • You can't underemphasize the importance of communication in a successful team.

  • Many educators underemphasize the role that self-directed learning plays in student development.

Synonyms

to downplay
vsto underemphasize
59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

treats importance as notably smaller, not just a softer tone
to minimize
vsto underemphasize
54 4.8

Make something seem less serious or important

reduces importance beyond deliberate understatement into true underattention
to trivialize
vsto underemphasize
  • US
28 7.0

Make something seem less important or serious

treats importance as insufficiently considered rather than merely dismissive
to take lightly
vsto underemphasize
22 4.2

To treat something as not important or serious

gives too little importance in emphasis or attention rather than just attitude
to understate
vsto underemphasize
18 5.2

To make something seem smaller or less important than it really is

represents importance as too small rather than as a modest understatement
to play down
vsto underemphasize
16 4.3

To make something seem less important than it really is

gives importance so little that it becomes insufficient rather than merely smaller
to underplay
vsto underemphasize
6 5.3

Make something seem less important than it really is

downplays importance so much that attention given is too little
to deemphasize
vsto underemphasize
  • US
2 5.9

Make an idea or topic seem less important

gives importance or attention that is too small or insufficient
to undersell
vsto underemphasize
2 4.5

Make something seem less important or valuable than it really is

focuses specifically on giving too little attention or importance rather than value alone
to underrepresent
vsto underemphasize
1 5.8

Show something as less common or important than it really is

reduces attention or importance too much rather than only changing presentation
to de-emphasize
vsto underemphasize
  • US
5.3

Make something seem less important

lowers importance to an excessive degree rather than just reducing it
to skimp over
vsto underemphasize
7.5

To deal with something quickly and not in enough detail

fails to give enough importance or attention rather than merely working fast

Antonyms

to overemphasize
8 5.5

Treat something as more important than it should be

How Emphasized

to emphasize
  • US
397 3.7
to underemphasize
1 6.7
to ignore
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

underemphasize infinitive
underemphasized past
underemphasized past participle
underemphasizing present participle
underemphasizes third person singular

Morphology

underemphasize = emphasize (transparent) = under + emphasize + under

Meaning is directly derived from 'under-' (insufficiently) + 'emphasize' so learners who know both components can infer the sense.

Etymology

The word underemphasize starts with under- meaning 'too little' or 'below' and joins emphasize, which means 'to give importance'. So to underemphasize something is to give it too little attention or importance.