accentuate

What does “accentuate” mean?

verb.to make more noticeable or prominent.

SAT Usage

This verb is often found in passages discussing art, literature, or communication, where it emphasizes the act of highlighting certain features or ideas to enhance understanding or impact. It suggests a deliberate effort to draw attention, distinguishing it from similar words like "emphasize," which may not convey the same level of intentionality in making something stand out.

Common Confusions

Accentuate implies a deliberate effort to make something stand out, while highlight usually suggests merely bringing attention to something without the same connotation of intentional enhancement.

Example Sentences

• Bold lighting can accentuate the sculpture's dramatic shape.

• The lighting helped accentuate the dramatic features of the sculpture.

Word Parts: How to Remember “accentuate”

Break “accentuate” into its parts: ad- (to, toward). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: ad- to, toward (Latin)