What does "highlight" mean?
An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or photograph that is strongly illuminated.
Highlight
/ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or photograph that is strongly illuminated.
- Grammar: highlight is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: accent, accents, accentuate, accentuated.
- Useful contrasts: diminished, invisible feature, obscure.
- Usage evidence: George was the highlight of the evening.
How to use "highlight"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "highlight" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "highlight" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "highlight" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "highlight" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "highlight" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accent" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "highlight", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or photograph that is strongly illuminated.
"The image blurred into the highlight, like something familiar seen beneath disturbed though clear water; he looked at the familiar image with a kind of quiet horror and despair, at a face suddenly older in sin than he would ever be, a face more blurred than sweet, at eyes more secret than soft."
- 2 an area of lightness in a picture wordnet
- 3 An especially significant or interesting detail or event or period of time. figuratively
"Meeting my future wife was the highlight of my trip to Spain."
- 4 the most interesting or memorable part wordnet
- 5 A strand or spot of hair dyed a different color than the rest.
Verb
- 1 To make prominent; emphasize. transitive
"The Guardian has spoken to dozens of Europeans who have left, or are planning to leave. Their stories highlight surprising new migration routes – from Lisbon to Luanda, Dublin to Perth, Barcelona to Buenos Aires – as well as more traditional migration patterns."
- 2 apply a highlighter to one's cheeks or eyebrows in order to make them more prominent wordnet
- 3 To be a highlight of. transitive
- 4 move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent wordnet
- 5 To mark (important passages of text), e.g. with a fluorescent marker pen or in a wordprocessor, as a means of memory retention or for later reference. transitive
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To dye (part of the hair) a different color than the rest. transitive
- 7 To seek the attention of (a user) on IRC by mentioning their name in a message, causing that message to appear highlighted on their screen. Internet, transitive
"You could have asked: is there a reason this easy patch was not applied, either on IRC or private mail by me. You did write a comment on IRC and I did see it. Problem is that you did not highlight me _and_ you did not wait for an answer."
Antonyms
Example
"George was the highlight of the evening."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "highlight"?
Common synonyms include: accent, accents, accentuate, accentuated, accentuates, accentuating.
How do you use "highlight" in a sentence?
George was the highlight of the evening.
How do you pronounce "highlight"?
Pronounced /ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/.
Etymology
From high + light.