Meaning & use
highlighted
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“highlighted” is a form of “highlight”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Past form of highlight: drew attention to something so people noticed it and gave it extra importance.
Grammar: Takes an object: the report highlighted several problems.
Patterns
- highlighted something
- highlighted that something is true
The report highlighted several weaknesses in the plan.
She highlighted the need for better training.
The speech highlighted how much the town had changed.
verbtransitive
Past form of highlight: marked words or part of a screen with a bright pen or color so that they stand out.
Grammar: Takes an object: she highlighted the key sentences.
Patterns
- highlighted something in a color
He highlighted the important dates in yellow.
I highlighted the file and pressed delete.
Every key term was highlighted in the textbook.
adjectivebefore a noun
Marked in bright color, or having been made noticeable, such as text, hair streaks or a part of a screen.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: highlighted text, highlighted hair.
Patterns
- highlighted text
Copy the highlighted text into a new document.
Her highlighted hair caught the sunlight.
Word forms
| base form | highlight |
|---|---|
| third person singular | highlights |
| past participle | highlighted |
| -ing form | highlighting |
Common combinations
- highlighted the importance of
- The doctor highlighted the importance of sleep.
- highlighted in yellow
- The answers are highlighted in yellow.
- highlighted text
- Delete the highlighted text and retype it.
- highlighted the need for
- The accident highlighted the need for safer roads.
- highlighted a problem
- The audit highlighted a serious problem with the accounts.
Synonyms and how they differ
- emphasized
- Emphasized stresses a point strongly in speech or writing, while highlighted suggests making it easy to notice.
- underlined
- Underlined can mean literally drawing a line beneath words, or stressing a point, and is more forceful than highlighted in the figurative sense.
- spotlighted
- Spotlighted suggests putting something in a strong public focus, and is stronger than highlighted.
- flagged
- Flagged means marking something for later attention, often a problem, which is narrower than highlighted.
Opposites
Word family
- highlight verb
- draw attention to or mark something
- highlight noun
- the best or most memorable part
- highlighter noun
- a brightly colored marker pen
- highlighting noun
- the act of marking, or colored streaks in hair
Commonly confused: highlighted or highlighter?
highlighted vs highlighter
A highlighter is the pen itself, while highlighted describes something that has been marked or emphasized.
Practice
Yesterday the teacher ____ the main points in yellow so we could revise.
Choose one answer.
Yesterday needs the simple past, which is highlighted. Highlights is present tense and highlighting needs an auxiliary.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “highlighted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.