underscoreun‧der‧score /ˌʌndəˈskɔː $ -dərˈskɔːr/ ●○○ verb [transitive] especially American English 
Verb Table Examples
Verb TableVERB TABLE
underscore
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | underscore |
| he, she, it | underscores | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | underscored |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have underscored |
| he, she, it | has underscored | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had underscored |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will underscore |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have underscored |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am underscoring |
| he, she, it | is underscoring | |
| you, we, they | are underscoring | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was underscoring |
| you, we, they | were underscoring | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been underscoring |
| he, she, it | has been underscoring | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been underscoring |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be underscoring |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been underscoring |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- The report underscores the importance of childhood immunizations.
- But it is also worth underscoring both the intended and unintended symbolism of a Churchill bust.
- If single motherhood magnifies the problems of contemporary motherhood, it can also underscore the rewards of mothering while pursuing independent goals.
- National defense constitutes over one-fourth of the Federal budget and underscores the high cost of military preparedness.
- The cultural significance of it is not really underscored.
- This is further underscored in their social positions.
THESAURUS► emphasize
Collocations to say strongly or show clearly that a fact, idea etc is especially important: · Our company emphasizes the need for good communication between staff.
► stress to emphasize something when you are talking about a subject: · Most schools stress the importance of parental involvement in their child’s learning.· He stressed the need for parents to listen to their children.
► highlight to show that something is important, so that people will pay special attention to it: · This case highlights the need for tougher laws on gun ownership.· The report highlights the decline in the numbers of native plants and insects.
► underline/underscore to help to show clearly that a fact is true, especially a fact that is already known: · These attacks underline the fact that the security situation here remains fragile.· The president’s speech repeatedly underscored the progress that has been made.
► accentuate to show something clearly and make it easier to notice: · The recent economic crisis has accentuated the gap between the rich and the poor.
► overemphasize to emphasize something too much: · The relation between food and health is often overemphasized in my view.
► play up to emphasize something and make it seem more important than it really is, especially to get advantages for yourself: · The story has been played up by the media.· The Labour party had a great time playing up the Conservatives’ problems.
Longman Language Activatorto emphasize something► emphasize/stress to say or show that you think something is especially important: · Mann stressed the need to educate people about the risks of AIDS.· She said smoking was not permitted anywhere in the school - emphasizing the word 'anywhere'.emphasize/stress (that): · The County Sheriff emphasized that there was no evidence to show that the driver had been drinking.I can't emphasize enough spoken (=this needs to be emphasized a lot): · I can't emphasize enough how grateful we are for your donations.
► highlight to emphasize something such as a problem or a fact, especially by providing new information about it: · This report highlights some of the problems faced by old people in winter.· The slump in the car industry was highlighted by Ford's offer of a $600 rebate on new cars.
► underline/underscore if something that happens underlines or underscores a fact, especially one that is already known, it helps to emphasize that it is true: · Yesterday's shelling of a Red Cross hospital underlines the difficulties faced by rescue teams.· The recent rioting in South Africa has underlined the government's lack of control.· The dire state of child health in the country was underscored in a report by UNICEF.
► drive the point home/drive home the point to emphasize a fact or idea by giving additional, often surprising or shocking, information about it: · After the talk, the students were shown a video about heroin addiction to drive the point home.drive the point home/drive home the point that: · The reconstruction of the accident certainly drove home the point that drink-driving can kill.
► play up also make great play of British to emphasize a fact or idea, by giving it more attention than anything else, especially if you are trying to make it seem more important than it really is: · At the interview, remember to play up your experience of teaching in Japan.· On TV last night the Democratic candidate was clearly playing up his caring image.make great play of (doing) something: · The Prime Minister made great play of environmental issues, considering how little the government has done.
► accentuate to emphasize something, especially the differences between two things or situations: · In Britain, the choice between state and private schools accentuates the differences between rich and poor.· The director uses music to accentuate the rising dramatic tension.
► point up to make something, especially the true facts of a situation, clearer and more noticeable: · Recent protests in the north of the country point up the dilemma the opposition forces are in.· Low literacy rates among the women in this area point up the need for much greater investment in girls' education.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► also
1to emphasize the fact that something is important or true SYN underline► see thesaurus at emphasize2to draw a line under a word or phrase to show that it is important SYN underline· The research study also underscores the importance of playing it straight when trying to get things accomplished.· But the survey also underscores some of the concerns expressed by opponents of doctor-assisted suicide.· These kinds of questions also underscore the importance of defining with precision the concepts that we use in political analysis.· If single motherhood magnifies the problems of contemporary motherhood, it can also underscore the rewards of mothering while pursuing independent goals.
► how· If he had you there, that underscored how he felt about you, that was the confidence that he had.
NOUN► importance· The research study also underscores the importance of playing it straight when trying to get things accomplished.· These kinds of questions also underscore the importance of defining with precision the concepts that we use in political analysis.· This underscores the importance of the newsletter editor and his / her associates being or becoming the best informed sociologists.
► point· A series of disasters has underscored the point.· In addition, it gives credibility to your message while underscoring your point.· This fact underscores a point that is central to any discussion of how population growth impinges on the natural environment.· Social-science research on stepparent families has underscored the point that biological ties are surprisingly difficult to duplicate.
► s· Developments at several major U. S. multinationals underscored the continuing export surge.