Meaning & use
accentuations
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“accentuations” is a form of “accentuation”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralformal
Acts of giving extra stress or prominence to something, such as a syllable, a feature or a point in an argument.
Grammar: Plural of accentuation; usually followed by of or on: accentuations of certain words.
Patterns
- accentuations of something
- accentuations on something
The poem relies on subtle accentuations of the long vowels.
Different accentuations can change the meaning of a sentence.
The makeup artist used light accentuations around the eyes.
nounpluraltechnical
Marks or patterns that show which syllables or notes are stressed, as in writing or music.
Grammar: Plural technical use, often in linguistics and music: the accentuations in the score.
Patterns
- accentuations in something
The editor checked the accentuations in the Greek text.
Singers study the written accentuations before rehearsal.
The accentuations marked on the page show where the beat falls.
Word forms
| singular | accentuation |
|---|
Common combinations
- subtle accentuations
- The actor's subtle accentuations gave the lines new meaning.
- rhythmic accentuations
- The drummer added rhythmic accentuations to the chorus.
- regional accentuations
- Regional accentuations vary across the country.
- dramatic accentuations
- The director asked for dramatic accentuations of each gesture.
Synonyms and how they differ
- emphases
- Emphases is the everyday plural and more natural in most contexts, while accentuations sounds more technical.
- stresses
- Stresses is the usual word for spoken syllables, while accentuations can also cover visual or artistic features.
- highlights
- Highlights suggests making something stand out visually or in a report, while accentuations suits language and style.
- underscorings
- Underscorings is rare and stresses reinforcing a point, not marking a pattern.
Opposites
Word family
- accentuate verb
- to make more noticeable
- accent noun
- a way of pronouncing; a mark or stress
- accented adjective
- having stress or a mark
- accentuation noun
- the act of emphasizing
Commonly confused: accentuations or accentuate / accentuation? accentuations or accentuations vs. accents?
accentuations vs accentuate / accentuation
Accentuate is the verb and accentuation is the noun. People sometimes write accentuate when they need accentuation.
accentuations vs accentuations vs. accents
Accents may mean regional speech styles, while accentuations means acts or marks of emphasis.
Practice
A language teacher says the meaning changes with different ___ of the same sentence. Which word fits best?
Choose one answer.
Accentuations refers to different patterns of stress, which can change meaning. Accusations and acquisitions are unrelated words that do not fit a discussion of stress.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “accentuations”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.