underscore

/ˌʌndəˈskɔː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌndɚskˈɔr] /ˌʌndərˈskɔːr/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌʌndɚskˈɔr] /ˈən-dər-ˌskȯr How to pronounce underscore (audio)/ (ame, mw) · /ˈʌn.də.skɔːr/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌndɚskˈɔr] /ˈʌn.dɚ.skɔːr/ (ame, ipa)

underscore — verb

  • underscorepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • underscoreshe / she / it
  • underscoredpast simple
  • underscoring-ing form

1. to draw a straight line beneath a word, sentence, or heading in order to mark it

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to draw a straight line beneath a word, sentence, or heading in order to mark it as important or to draw attention to it.

例句

Femi underscored each vocabulary word on the study list with a sharp pencil line.

transitive: underscore + noun phrase

Roya underscored the title of the science chapter with a ruler so the line stayed perfectly straight.

instrumental: underscore with a ruler for precision

同義詞
  • underline

    more common in digital contexts; 'underscore' is slightly more formal for the physical action

文法句型

underscore + noun phrase

用法筆記

This sense is most common in handwriting and paper editing contexts. In digital word processors, 'underline' is the more frequent term for the same action.

常見錯誤

❌She underscored the text in the Word document.
✅She underlined the text in the Word document.
💡In computer software, 'underline' is the standard term for the formatting feature.

2. to make something seem more important or clearly true, especially when the evide

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make something seem more important or clearly true, especially when the evidence for it comes from events or situations rather than from words.

例句

The accident at the factory underscored the need for better safety training.

underscore + noun phrase: the need for something

Kasia's promotion underscored just how much her team had achieved that year.

underscore + how-clause

同義詞
  • emphasize

    more common for deliberate human actions; 'underscore' often implies that the evidence speaks for itself

  • highlight

    less formal; can be used for either people or situations

  • stress

    stronger sense of insistence; works well for personal opinions

反義詞
  • downplay

    to make something seem less important

  • understate

    to describe something as less significant than it is

文法句型

underscore + noun phrase

underscore + that-clause

用法筆記

Subject is usually an event, fact, situation, or result — not a person acting deliberately. When a person actively stresses something, 'emphasize' or 'stress' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌The manager underscored the deadline in the meeting.
✅The manager emphasized the deadline in the meeting.
💡'Underscore' works best when the situation itself reveals importance, not when a person deliberately highlights something.

underscore — noun