highlight

Word family

• highlighter
  nounB1
• highlighted
  adjectiveB1
• highlighting
  nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Highlight', 'emphasize', 'point out', 'underscore', and 'spotlight' all share the core idea of making something more noticeable, but differ in connotation and register. 'Highlight' is the most versatile and common — it works in visual contexts (a graph highlighting a trend) and rhetorical ones (a speech highlighting a problem). 'Emphasize' overlaps heavily but leans toward stress in speech or writing (e.g., 'He emphasized the need for caution'). 'Point out' is more conversational and implies simply calling attention to something that may have been missed ('She pointed out the spelling error'). 'Underscore' is more formal and suggests reinforcing an existing point ('The event underscored the importance of preparedness'). 'Spotlight' is more dramatic, suggesting exclusive or intense focus ('The documentary spotlights the lives of refugee children'). For everyday writing and speaking, 'highlight' and 'emphasize' are the safest choices; 'underscore' suits formal reports; 'spotlight' works for media and marketing contexts.

Common collocations

Etymology

'Highlight' was formed in the 17th century by combining 'high' (meaning 'chief' or 'prominent', from Old English 'heah') and 'light' (from Old English 'leoht', meaning brightness). It originally referred to the brightest area in a painting — the place where light strikes most intensely. This art term gained a figurative sense ('the most prominent part') in the 19th century, and by the late 1800s it was being used for hair colouring. The verb form emerged in the early 20th century, first for literal lighting effects, then for emphasis, marking text with highlighter pens (1960s), and digital selection.