De-emphasizing

De-emphasizing refers to the act of reducing the importance or significance of something. It involves making something less prominent, drawing less attention to it, or treating it as secondary. This can be achieved through various means, such as minimizing its presence, reducing the resources allocated to it, or altering the way it is presented or discussed. The goal is often to shift focus to something else deemed more crucial or relevant, to downplay a negative aspect, or to simply create a more balanced perspective.

De-emphasizing meaning with examples

• The company is de-emphasizing its traditional print advertising in favor of a more robust digital marketing strategy. They're shifting resources, personnel and attention. This decision reflects the changing media landscape and consumer preferences. They still advertise in print, it just plays a smaller role.
• In her presentation, the speaker chose to de-emphasize the negative aspects of the project, focusing instead on its potential benefits and positive outcomes. By highlighting the positives, she successfully framed the narrative in a more favorable light. This created a more optimistic outlook.
• The new curriculum aims to de-emphasize rote memorization and instead focuses on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The focus will be on education through doing. This approach is intended to cultivate a deeper understanding of concepts.
• To maintain objectivity, the journalist decided to de-emphasize her personal opinions in the news report, ensuring a neutral and unbiased presentation of the facts. The story should tell itself. This fostered trust in her reporting.