Another Word for Highlight: Synonym Ideas for a Presentation
- Ethan Carter
- Sep 28
- 7 min read
In professional presentations, the word "highlight" is often overused. While intended to draw attention, its constant repetition can make your delivery sound monotonous and unprepared. This linguistic redundancy causes audience fatigue, reduces the impact of your key points, and ultimately diminishes your persuasive power, making your message less engaging and memorable.
When to Use and Avoid "Highlight"
Choosing your words carefully is crucial. "Highlight" can be a useful tool, but only when used with precision and intent.
When Using "Highlight" is Appropriate:
Industry Standard: When "highlight" is a standard keyword or technical term within your field (e.g., "highlighting" code in a tech demo).
Clarity Above All: When addressing a broad audience, using a simple, direct word like "highlight" can prevent confusion from overly complex jargon.
Strategic Emphasis: A single, well-placed use of "highlight" can effectively underscore a critical takeaway, especially when you want to be direct.
When "Highlight" Weakens Impact:
Repetitive Flow: Repeatedly saying "I want to highlight..." disrupts the natural flow of your presentation and makes it sound robotic.
Generic Messaging: Overuse makes your message feel generic and fails to convey the unique value or deep insights you’ve uncovered.
Missed Nuance: Strong synonyms can convey specific actions, such as analyzing, revealing, or proving a point, which "highlight" alone cannot capture.
Strong vs. Weak Examples of "Highlight" in a Presentation
3 Strong Examples (Specific and Impactful):
"This quarter's data highlights a 15% increase in user engagement following the new feature launch." (Specific, data-driven)
"Our competitive analysis highlights a critical gap in the market that our new service is uniquely positioned to fill." (Analytical)
"This report highlights the synthesis of feedback from three different client focus groups." (Shows synthesis and depth)
3 Weak Examples (Vague and Repetitive):
"I'd like to highlight this next point." (Vague—the point itself should be impactful without the introduction.)
"Let's highlight some of the key features of our product." (Generic—use a stronger verb like showcase or demonstrate.)
"To highlight another finding, look at this chart." (Repetitive and lacks originality.)
15 Synonyms for "Highlight"
Emphasize
Underscore
Spotlight
Showcase
Feature
Accentuate
Pinpoint
Reveal
Demonstrate
Illustrate
Clarify
Address
Uncover
Focus on
Draw attention to
Why Replacing "Highlight" Enhances Your Presentation
Replacing a generic term like "highlight" with more dynamic vocabulary instantly elevates your presentation. This isn't just about sounding smarter; it's about making your message clearer, more engaging, and more persuasive.
Start with Impact: Using powerful verbs like reveal or demonstrate immediately captures attention and signals importance, hooking your audience from the start.
Use Clear, Concise Language: Synonyms often provide more precision. Instead of vaguely "highlighting" a problem, you can pinpoint its cause, which is more direct and easier for the audience to grasp.
Frame with Positive, Solution-Oriented Language: Words like showcase or demonstrate frame your points around solutions and achievements, projecting confidence and focusing on positive outcomes.
Create a Better Rhythm: Varying your word choice, just like varying your sentence structure, creates a more dynamic and interesting rhythm, keeping your audience engaged.
Tailor Your Language to the Audience: A sales team might respond well to showcase, while a technical team might prefer demonstrate or illustrate. Choosing the right synonym shows you understand your audience's context.
Examples of Replacing "Highlight" with Better Synonyms
Here’s how you can replace "highlight" in a professional context for greater impact.
Emphasize
Original: We need to highlight the urgency of this deadline.
Improved: We need to emphasize the urgency of this deadline to ensure alignment across all teams.
Insight: Emphasize adds a sense of weight and importance, suggesting that the point requires special focus.
Underscore
Original: I want to highlight our commitment to quality.
Improved: The positive client testimonials underscore our unwavering commitment to quality.
Insight: Underscore implies that evidence or facts are reinforcing a point, making it stronger and more credible.
Spotlight
Original: This slide will highlight our top-performing campaign.
Improved: This slide will spotlight our top-performing campaign, which achieved a 200% ROI.
Insight: Spotlight is a visual, theatrical word that makes the subject feel special and worthy of singular attention.
Showcase
Original: Let's highlight the new features in our demo.
Improved: In this demo, we will showcase how the new features solve our customer's primary pain point.
Insight: Showcase is perfect for sales and marketing, as it implies a proud, confident display of value.
Feature
Original: Our proposal will highlight a custom solution.
Improved: Our proposal will feature a custom integration plan designed specifically for your workflow.
Insight: Feature suggests that something is a prominent, key component of an offer, making it sound more exclusive.
Accentuate
Original: We should highlight the cost savings in our pitch.
Improved: The charts on the next slide accentuate the long-term cost savings our solution provides.
Insight: Accentuate means to make something more noticeable. It’s a sophisticated way to say you’re amplifying a key benefit.
Pinpoint
Original: The report highlights the main issue.
Improved: The diagnostic report helps us pinpoint the exact cause of the system failure.
Insight: Pinpoint conveys precision and accuracy, ideal for consulting or technical analysis where specificity is key.
Reveal
Original: Our research highlights a new trend.
Improved: Our research reveals an emerging consumer trend that presents a new market opportunity.
Insight: Reveal creates a sense of discovery and intrigue, as if you are sharing exclusive information.
Demonstrate
Original: This data highlights our market growth.
Improved: This data demonstrates our consistent, quarter-over-quarter market growth.
Insight: Demonstrate implies proof. You are not just pointing something out; you are proving it with evidence.
Illustrate
Original: Let me highlight this with an example.
Improved: Let me illustrate this concept with a brief case study.
Insight: Illustrate means to explain with examples or visuals, making it a perfect word for storytelling in a presentation.
Clarify
Original: I need to highlight what our goal is.
Improved: Before we proceed, I need to clarify that our primary goal is to increase retention, not just acquisition.
Insight: Clarify is used to remove ambiguity and ensure complete understanding, positioning the speaker as a clear communicator.
Address
Original: In this section, we will highlight potential risks.
Improved: In this section, we will address the potential risks and our mitigation strategies for each.
Insight: Address is a proactive verb that shows you are not just pointing out an issue but are actively dealing with it.
Uncover
Original: Our audit highlights several inefficiencies.
Improved: Our internal audit helped uncover several operational inefficiencies we can now streamline.
Insight: Like reveal, uncover suggests a process of investigation and discovery, adding weight to your findings.
Focus on
Original: I want to highlight the Q4 results.
Improved: For the next few minutes, let's focus on the Q4 results and what they mean for our annual forecast.
Insight: Focus on is a direct, clear command that directs the audience's attention without sounding repetitive.
Draw attention to
Original: I must highlight this legal clause.
Improved: I must draw your attention to the exclusivity clause in section 5b of the agreement.
Insight: This phrase is more formal and forceful than "highlight," making it suitable for serious or critical points.
Tips for Effectively Replacing "Highlight"
Tailor Synonyms to Presentation Goals: Are you trying to prove a point, tell a story, or sell a feature? Choose a verb that directly supports that objective. Demonstrate works for proof, illustrate for stories, and showcase for features.
Use remio AI Assistant to Seamlessly Prepare the Presentation: A powerful AI assistant can be your secret weapon. Instead of manually searching for the right words, remio can instantly suggest precise vocabulary and phrasing from your knowledge base, ensuring your language perfectly matches your presentation goals and enhances your impact.
Analyze Customer Language to Match Industry Norms: Align your vocabulary with the terminology your audience uses. A consultant speaking to finance executives should use different language than a marketer presenting to a creative team.
Use Quantifiable Outcomes to Support Your Words: Strong verbs are even more powerful when backed by data. Instead of just "accentuating benefits," you can "demonstrate a 40% reduction in operational costs."
How remio Boosts Your Productivity
Seamless Knowledge Integration: Quickly retrieve and optimize content from your knowledge base with simple prompts, saving time and effort.
Targeted Expression: AI suggests precise vocabulary and phrasing to match your presentation goals, enhancing impact perfectly.
Industry Language Mastery: Align your communication with audience-specific professional terminology for effective engagement.
Data-Driven Persuasion: Support your points with real, quantifiable results directly from your knowledge base, ensuring confident and compelling delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I Use "Highlight" At All?Yes, but it should be used sparingly and strategically. It's most effective when it’s the clearest, most direct term for your audience or when paired with compelling data that speaks for itself.
How Many Times Is Too Many?There's no magic number, but a good rule of thumb is to avoid using it more than once or twice per major section or slide. If you hear yourself saying it repeatedly during practice, it’s a sign to find alternatives.
Will Synonyms Really Make My Presentation Better?Absolutely. The right synonyms add layers of meaning, precision, and professionalism. They transform a generic statement into a specific, impactful, and memorable point, which boosts audience engagement and your credibility.
How Do I Choose the Right Synonym for My Presentation?Consider three things: context (what are you trying to say?), intent (what do you want your audience to feel or do?), and audience (what language will resonate with them?). The best synonym is one that feels natural while making your point more powerful.
A Short Conclusion
Your words are the most powerful tool you have in a presentation. By moving beyond a simple verb like "highlight" and embracing a more diverse and precise vocabulary, you do more than just share information—you create understanding, build credibility, and persuade your audience. Apply these strategies to your next presentation, and you'll not only sound more professional but will be better equipped to win over any room.
