What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
italicize
Example
Please italicize the book title in your essay. [italicize: verb]
Example
The author italicized the key points in the article to make them stand out. [italicized: past tense]
emphasize
Example
I want to emphasize the importance of punctuality in this company. [emphasize: verb]
Example
The teacher emphasized the need for hard work and dedication to succeed in the course. [emphasized: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Emphasize is more commonly used than italicize in everyday language. Emphasize is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while italicize is less common and is typically used in academic writing to indicate titles of books, journals, and other publications.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between italicize and emphasize?
Italicize is typically associated with a formal tone, while emphasize can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
