Which word means to emphasize or stress something?

• A. To Emphasize
• B. To Diminish
• C. To Ignore
• D. To Underscore

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is choosing a word that means to make something stand out or give it extra emphasis. The best fit is to emphasize, because to emphasize literally means to give emphasis or stress to a point, making it more noticeable or important in the listener’s or reader’s mind. In practice, you emphasize a point by highlighting its significance or presenting it with stronger emphasis. Diminish and ignore convey opposite actions: they reduce importance or skip it. Underscore is also a way to indicate emphasis, especially in writing, but the direct, everyday term for the act of stressing something is emphasize.