highlight
verb
highlighted; highlighting; highlights
1
: to throw a strong light on
The moon highlighted the treetops.
Outdoor lighting is an important part of any garden design, providing ambiance and highlighting key features like plants, water features, and walkways.—
East End Taste Magazine (online)
East End Taste Magazine (online)2
b
: to constitute a significant or especially interesting part of : to constitute a highlight of
His trip to Italy was highlighted by a visit to the Colosseum.
The defending champion Bulldogs won three events, highlighted by Kowal's record in the 100-meter breaststroke …—Harvey Araton
Harvey Araton3
a
: to mark (text) with or as if with a highlighter (see highlighter sense 2)
Encourage them to keep a journal and to highlight important entries.—Jessica Schrader
Jessica SchraderWhenever this pattern reversed itself, the numbers in Table 2 were highlighted in bold print.—LuAnn Soliah et al.
LuAnn Soliah et al.
b
: to cause (something, such as text or an icon) to be displayed in a way that stands out on an electronic screen (as of a computer or smartphone)
highlighted the sentence and deleted it
By clicking on highlighted words, called hot links, you're instantly taken to other Internet sites that offer additional or related information.—Victoria Von Biel
Victoria Von Biel4
: to add highlights (see highlight entry 1 sense 2b) to (hair)
Jonathan, old enough now that he no longer lets his mom highlight his thick brown hair, plays guitar and likes to shoot hoops with his dad …—Patrick Rogers et al.
Patrick Rogers et al.To add drama to her already highlighted hair, Beyoncé has fine, platinum highlights temporarily bonded to the strands around her face.—Barb Sgroi
Barb SgroiExamples of highlight in a Sentence
Unfortunately, the media insisted upon highlighting his troubled past.
Our trip was highlighted by a great jazz concert we attended.
The students highlighted important vocabulary words in their textbooks.
Important names and dates in each chapter are highlighted.
Recent Examples on the Web
Taken together, the two measures highlight a growing tension in a state that prides itself on stewardship of the environment, as policymakers aim to protect threatened or endangered animals while also keeping people, pets and livestock safe.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
Areas of need Wednesday’s OTAs practice highlighted some potential holes in the Patriots’ depth chart.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
The results highlighted how support has splintered across a crowded field that includes nine additional challengers, raising uncertainty over which candidates could ultimately advance to a potential November runoff election.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026
The movie’s first scene, in which the band plays a wedding at a lavish country estate, highlights his problem.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for highlight
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
Areas of need Wednesday’s OTAs practice highlighted some potential holes in the Patriots’ depth chart.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
The results highlighted how support has splintered across a crowded field that includes nine additional challengers, raising uncertainty over which candidates could ultimately advance to a potential November runoff election.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 29 May 2026
The movie’s first scene, in which the band plays a wedding at a lavish country estate, highlights his problem.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for highlight
Cite this Entry
“Highlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/highlight. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
highlight
1 of 2 noun
high·light
ˈhī-ˌlīt 
1
: the brightest spot or area (as in a painting or drawing)
2
: something (as an event or detail) that is of major interest
highlight
2 of 2 verb
highlighted; highlighting
1
: to throw a strong light on
2
a
: to center attention on : emphasize
b
: to be a highlight of
3
a
: to mark (text) with a highlighter pen
b
: to cause (as text) to stand out on a computer screen
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