highlight
B2Neutral to formal; widely used across registers.
Definition
Meaning
To emphasize or make something stand out; a visually or contextually prominent part.
To mark text with a bright colour for emphasis; a memorable or outstanding moment in an event, career, or period.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions both as a verb (action of emphasizing) and a noun (the emphasized part itself). In visual arts, refers to the brightest area in a painting or photograph.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is identical. Slight preference for 'highlights' (noun) in UK English for summary bullet points (e.g., 'meeting highlights'). In US English, 'highlight reel' is more common for sports/events.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. In UK hair salon context, 'highlights' almost exclusively means strands of lightened hair.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both varieties. Verb usage slightly more frequent in American media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
highlight + NP (highlight a feature)highlight + that-clause (highlight that changes are needed)highlight + wh-clause (highlight how it works)be highlighted + as + NP (was highlighted as a concern)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The highlight of the show”
- “Steal the highlight”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports and presentations to draw attention to key data or conclusions.
Academic
Used to signify important findings, arguments, or sections of text.
Everyday
Common for discussing best parts of an experience (e.g., holiday highlights) or using a marker pen.
Technical
In computing, refers to selecting text or an object on screen; in photography/art, denotes areas of brightest light.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The tour of the castle was the absolute highlight of our holiday.
- She gets blonde highlights in her hair every summer.
- Let me give you the highlights of the meeting.
American English
- Seeing the Grand Canyon was the highlight of the trip.
- Check out the game highlights on the sports channel.
- His career highlight was winning the championship.
verb
British English
- The report will highlight several areas for improvement.
- Could you highlight the relevant passages in the document?
- The speaker highlighted the risks involved.
American English
- The study highlights a major trend in consumer behavior.
- I've highlighted the changes in yellow for your review.
- She highlighted how the policy would affect small businesses.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My holiday highlight was swimming in the sea.
- Use a yellow pen to highlight your name.
- The teacher highlighted the mistakes in my essay.
- The film's highlight was the amazing car chase.
- The article highlights the connection between diet and health.
- One of the conference highlights was the keynote speech.
- The data starkly highlights the socioeconomic disparities in the region.
- This discovery stands as a highlight in the annals of scientific research.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HIGHLIGHTER pen making a line of text stand out brightly on the page.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS BRIGHTNESS / SIGNIFICANCE IS VISIBILITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'highlight' as 'высокий свет' (high light). Use 'основной момент', 'ключевой момент' (noun) or 'подчеркнуть', 'выделить' (verb).
- The Russian noun 'хайлайт' is a recent colloquial borrowing, mostly for hair or social media features, not for formal contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'highlight about' instead of 'highlight of' (e.g., 'the highlight about the trip' -> 'the highlight of the trip').
- Confusing verb/noun forms: 'It was a big highlight' (correct noun) vs. 'It was a big highlight moment' (redundant).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'highlight' used as a noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral. It's perfectly acceptable in formal writing (e.g., 'The report highlights...') but also common in everyday speech (e.g., 'the highlight of my day').
Yes. While often used for positive 'best parts', it simply means to emphasize. You can 'highlight a problem' or 'highlight a weakness'.
They are often synonyms. 'Highlight' often implies making something visually or mentally stand out from its surroundings. 'Emphasize' can involve giving extra weight or stress in speech or argument.
Use 'of' (the highlight of the year, the highlight of the show). Avoid 'about' or 'from' in this context.