accent
gb/ˈæksˌɛnt/ us/ˈæksˌɛnt/
A2
English
~ 8900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
way someone pronounces words
The special way someone says words that shows where they are from or what their first language is.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a [adjective] accent
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "accent" with "dialect". An accent is mainly about pronunciation, while a dialect includes different grammar and vocabulary as well. Learners also sometimes say *"He has an accent of France"*; the natural phrase is *"He has a French accent"* or *"He has an accent from France"*.
Synonyms
pronunciation (More general; refers to how sounds or words are said, without necessarily suggesting regional or foreign background.)
|
speech pattern (Broader; includes rhythm and intonation as well as accent, and may suggest personal speaking style.)
Antonyms
standard pronunciation (Suggests a neutral or widely accepted way of speaking that does not clearly show any particular region or foreign background.)
Collocations
strong accent
|thick accent
|slight accent
|foreign accent
|local accent
|lose your accent
Themes
language
|identity
|travel
|communication
|education
Examples
- You can hear his Irish accent even though he has lived abroad for years.
- She speaks excellent English, but she still has a strong French accent.
- After a week in Texas, he started to pick up a bit of the local accent.
- People often judge others unfairly based on their accent.
- I love her accent; it makes her sound very musical.
Learner examples
- My English teacher has a British accent.
- He speaks with a very strong accent.
- She has a slight accent when she speaks Spanish.
- I can guess where he is from by his accent.
- They moved to Canada and their children do not have a foreign accent.
unknown
technical
B2
entity
2
extra stress on a syllable
The stronger beat or stress on one part of a word, sentence, or piece of music.
Usage pattern:
the accent falls on [syllable/word]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix this sense with the general sense of "accent" as a way of speaking. Here, "accent" is closer to "stress" on a syllable, not a regional way of speaking. In pronunciation lessons, "word stress" is usually clearer than "word accent".
Synonyms
stress (The usual technical word in linguistics and language teaching; slightly more common than "accent" in this sense.)
Antonyms
unstressed syllable (A syllable that does not receive accent or strong stress.)
Collocations
word accent
|sentence accent
|musical accent
|natural accent
|place the accent on
|the accent falls on
Themes
language
|music
|education
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- In the word "photograph," the accent falls on the first syllable.
- Many learners struggle to put the sentence accent on the right words in English.
- In this piece, the musical accent is on the second beat of every bar.
- Changing the accent in a word can change its meaning.
- Teachers often mark the main accent of a word in phonetic transcription.
Learner examples
- In this word, the accent is on the second part.
- You need to put the accent on this word when you speak.
- Listen carefully to hear which syllable has the accent.
- The teacher drew a line to show the accent in the word.
- In music, the drummer plays a strong accent on the first beat.
Noun
B2
entity
3
small decorative feature or color
A small thing, color, or detail used to make a room, clothes, or design look more interesting.
Usage pattern:
an accent [color/wall/piece/pillow]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "accent" in this sense often appears before another noun ("accent color," "accent wall") and is not usually used alone as *"an accent"* without context.
Synonyms
highlight (Focuses more on the idea of something that stands out; can be less tied to physical objects.)
|
feature (More general; does not necessarily suggest that it is small or used for decoration.)
Antonyms
background (Refers to the main area or color that something sits on, which is less eye-catching than an accent.)
Collocations
accent color
|accent wall
|accent piece
|accent pillow
|accent lighting
|accent chair
Themes
home
|design
|fashion
|housing
|clothing
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- We painted one accent wall in a deep blue to make the room feel modern.
- The red cushions are just an accent, but they really brighten the sofa.
- She chose gold accent pieces to give the bathroom a more luxurious feel.
- These shoes have a small green accent on the heel.
- Accent lighting under the shelves creates a warm atmosphere in the kitchen.
Learner examples
- We used yellow as an accent color in the living room.
- The chair is an accent piece in the corner.
- I like this bag because it has a red accent.
- They put accent lights under the cabinets.
- The designer added plants as accents in the office.
Noun
B1
entity
4
mark above a letter
A small sign written over or under a letter that shows how to say it.
Usage pattern:
an accent on/over [a letter]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the pronunciation sense and say *"He talks with an accent on the e"* when they mean the written mark. For the written sign, "accent mark" or simply "accent" on a letter is correct.
Synonyms
diacritic (Technical term; used mainly in linguistics and typography.)
Antonyms
unaccented letter (A letter that has no accent or diacritic mark.)
Collocations
accent mark
|acute accent
|grave accent
|add an accent
|with an accent
|without an accent
Themes
language
|writing
|education
|communication
Examples
- In French, the letter "é" has an acute accent.
- Make sure you include the accent on the "ñ" in Spanish.
- Some computer systems make it hard to type letters with accents.
- The dictionary shows which letters take an accent mark.
- She forgot the accent on his name and spelled it incorrectly.
Learner examples
- This word needs an accent on the last letter.
- In Spanish, many words have accents.
- I do not know how to type this accent on my keyboard.
- Please write my name with an accent, not without.
- The teacher showed us three different kinds of accents.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
5
special emphasis or importance
More attention or importance given to one idea or thing than to others.
Usage pattern:
the accent is on [something]
Common mistake:
This usage is formal and less common in everyday speech. Learners may try to say *"put an accent to"* instead of the natural phrases "place the accent on" or, more commonly, "put the emphasis on." Often, "emphasis" is clearer and more natural than "accent" in this sense.
Synonyms
emphasis (More common and neutral in this sense; can be used in both formal and informal contexts.)
|
focus (Highlights attention rather than strength of feeling.)
Antonyms
downplaying (Means making something seem less important, the opposite of placing an accent on it.)
Collocations
place the accent on
|shift the accent to
|with the accent on
|the accent is on quality
|strong accent on safety
Themes
business
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In this course, the accent is on practical skills rather than theory.
- The new policy places a strong accent on environmental protection.
- Modern marketing puts the accent on customer experience.
- There has been a shift of accent from quantity to quality.
- Her work has a clear accent on social justice issues.
Learner examples
- In this company, the accent is on safety.
- The teacher puts the accent on speaking, not writing.
- The program has a strong accent on grammar.
- This year the accent is on saving money.
- The plan places the accent on helping young people.
Verb
formal
B2
action
6
to emphasize or highlight something
To make something easier to see or notice, or to show that it is more important.
Usage pattern:
to accent [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes overuse this formal verb instead of the more natural choices "emphasize" or "highlight." Also, they may say *"accent to something"*; the verb is normally transitive and takes a direct object: "accent something."
Synonyms
emphasize (More common and neutral; used for both ideas and physical features.)
|
highlight (Suggests making something visually or mentally stand out.)
Antonyms
downplay (Means to make something seem less important, the opposite of accenting it.)
Collocations
accent the positive
|accent features
|accent her eyes
|accent the flavor
|accent certain words
|accent the shape
Themes
communication
|design
|fashion
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- Use lighting to accent the texture of the stone wall.
- She wore a dark liner to accent her eyes.
- The chef added a little lemon juice to accent the flavor of the fish.
- Short sentences can accent the urgency of your message.
- The director used close-up shots to accent the emotional moments.
Learner examples
- Bright pillows accent the gray sofa.
- He used a red belt to accent his black dress.
- The writer uses short words to accent the main idea.
- Salt can accent the taste of chocolate.
- Use this color to accent the door frame.
Grammar
Dictionary form
accent
IPA
GB/ˈæksˌɛnt/
US/ˈæksˌɛnt/
Syllables & stress
ac - cent (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ac)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: accent
- Plural: accents
Verb
- Base: accent
- 3rd Person Singular: accents
- Present Participle: accenting
- Past: accented
Word family
Forms
accents
noun
accenting
verb
accented
verb
Related words
accentuate
verb
accentuation
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unaccented
adjective
accentless
adjective
Expressions
accent color
1/ˈæksˌɛnt kˈʌlɚ/
fixed phrase
small contrasting design color
A color you use only a little, to make a room or design more interesting.
Examples
- We chose yellow as an accent color in the living room.
- Use a bold accent color on the cushions to brighten the space.
- Black is a popular accent color in modern kitchens.
accent mark
1/ˈæksˌɛnt mˈɑɹk/
fixed phrase
written accent on a letter
A small sign written over or under a letter that shows how to say it.
Examples
- Don’t forget the accent mark on the "é" in his name.
- Some keyboards make it hard to type accent marks.
- The book explains how to use each accent mark in French.
accent wall
1/ˈæksˌɛnt wˈɔl/
fixed phrase
single wall that stands out
A wall in a room that has a different color or style so that it stands out.
Examples
- They painted one accent wall dark blue behind the bed.
- An accent wall can make a small room feel more dynamic.
- The designer suggested adding an accent wall with wallpaper.
foreign accent
1/fˈɔɹən ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
accent from another language
A way of speaking a language that shows it is not your first language.
Examples
- People often guess I am German because of my foreign accent.
- He speaks perfect Spanish, but with a foreign accent.
- The call center worker had a foreign accent that I couldn’t place.
local accent
1/lˈoʊkəl ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
accent of a specific area
The usual way people in a town, city, or area speak.
Examples
- She grew up here and has a strong local accent.
- Tourists love hearing the local accent when they visit.
- After a few years, he picked up the local accent.
lose your accent
1/lˈuz jˈʊɹ ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
stop speaking with former accent
To begin speaking in a new way so that people cannot hear your old accent anymore.
Examples
- She moved to Australia and completely lost her accent.
- He doesn’t want his children to lose their accent from home.
- Over time, many migrants lose their accent without noticing.
put the accent on
1/pˈʊt ðə ˈæksˌɛnt ˈɔn/
idiom
formal
give something special importance
To make one thing more important than others; to focus especially on it.
Examples
- The campaign puts the accent on health and safety.
- Modern teaching methods put the accent on communication rather than grammar drills.
- This year we need to put the accent on customer service.
slight accent
1/slˈaɪt ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
very mild or small accent
A way of speaking that is a little different from the listener’s way, but not very strong.
Examples
- He has only a slight accent when he speaks English.
- I noticed a slight accent and asked where she was from.
- After years in Canada, she now has just a slight accent.
strong accent
1/stɹˈɔŋ ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
very noticeable way of speaking
A way of speaking that is very different from the listener’s way and is easy to hear.
Examples
- She has a strong Italian accent, but she is easy to understand.
- His strong accent makes it hard for some people to follow him on the phone.
- You can still hear a strong accent even after all these years abroad.
thick accent
1/θˈɪk ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
very heavy and strong accent
A way of speaking that is very strong and different from the way local people speak, often hard to understand.
Examples
- The taxi driver spoke with a thick accent that I could barely understand.
- She used to have a thick accent, but now it is much softer.
- Many actors learn to reduce a thick accent for international roles.
trace of an accent
1/tɹˈeɪs əv ən ˈæksˌɛnt/
fixed phrase
very small remaining accent
A very small accent that you can just hear.
Examples
- There is still a trace of an accent when he speaks, but it is hard to notice.
- She speaks almost like a native, with only a trace of an accent.
- After many years abroad, he has just a trace of an accent left.