To emphasize something means to give it special importance or attention, to make it stand out so others notice it. When a teacher emphasizes a point by speaking louder or repeating it, she's showing you “this really matters.” When you underline a sentence in your notes or circle a key word, you're emphasizing it.

The word comes from emphasis, which means special importance or stress. You might emphasize certain words when speaking to make your meaning clearer. If you say “I didn't break the window” with emphasis on “I,” you're pointing out that someone else did it. If you emphasize “didn't,” you're insisting you're innocent.

Writers emphasize ideas by putting them first in a paragraph, repeating them, or using formatting like bold text or italics. Coaches emphasize fundamentals by practicing them over and over. Scientists emphasize important findings in their conclusions.

When someone says “I can't emphasize this enough,” they mean something is extremely important. The word helps us understand how people show what matters most, whether through their voice, their actions, their time, or their words.