1
: an effort in speech to stress one syllable over adjacent syllables
also
: the stress thus given a syllable
a word with the accent on the second syllable
2
: a distinctive manner of expression: such as
a
: a way of speaking typical of a particular group of people and especially of the natives or residents of a region
spoke with a Russian accent
b
: an individual's distinctive or characteristic inflection, tone, or choice of words
—usually used in plural
3
: rhythmically significant stress on the syllables of a verse usually at regular intervals
4
a
: a mark (such as ´, `, ˆ) used in writing or printing to indicate a specific sound value, stress, or pitch, to distinguish words otherwise identically spelled, or to indicate that an ordinarily mute vowel should be pronounced
b
: an accented letter
5
6
a
: emphasis laid on a part of an artistic design or composition
b
: an emphasized detail or area
especially
: a small detail in sharp contrast with its surroundings
c
: a substance or object used for emphasis
a plant used as a decorative accent
7
: a mark placed to the right of a letter or number and usually slightly above it: such as
a
: a double prime
b
: prime
8
: special concern or attention : emphasis
an accent on youth
9
archaic
: utterance entry 1
accented; accenting; accents
1
: to give special attention or prominence to (something)
TV shows that accent youth
: to make (something) more emphatic, noticeable, or distinct
columns that accent the vertical lines of the building
2
a
: to pronounce (part of a word) with greater stress or force : stress
Accent the second syllable of the word "before."
b
: to mark with a written or printed accent
Synonyms
Examples of accent in a Sentence
Noun
Regional accents are common in the U.S.
She spoke with an American accent.
The tourist had a foreign accent.
He has a heavy southern accent.
The word “before” has the accent on the last syllable.
Put the accent on the first syllable of the word.
The accents in the French word “émigré” show how the letter “e” should be pronounced.
Verb
the town's promotional literature accents its vital role in American history
Recent Examples on the Web
Elliott Smith and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 23 May 2024
The interior on Sunset Boulevard features Camel Coffee’s signature brown tones with natural wood finishes and vintage accents.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for accent 
Noun
Hardy makes the character his own, and of course imbues him with some accents and quirks.
—Elliott Smith and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 23 May 2024
The interior on Sunset Boulevard features Camel Coffee’s signature brown tones with natural wood finishes and vintage accents.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for accent
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to accent
Dictionary Entries Near accent
Cite this Entry
“Accent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accent. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
accent
1 of 2 noun
ac·cent
ˈak-ˌsent 
1
: a way of talking shared by a group (as the people of a country)
2
: greater stress or force given to a syllable of a word in speaking
before has the accent on the last syllable
3
: a mark (as ´, `, or ˆ accents) identifying a syllable that is stressed in speaking
4
: greater stress given to a beat in music
5
: an emphasized detail used for contrast
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