To make something seem less important or to reduce the attention given to something.
From 'de-' (reverse) plus 'emphasize' (to stress or highlight), combining the prefix with the existing verb. The word emerged in the mid-20th century as institutions needed to describe deliberately reducing focus.
Deemphasize entered the language around the same time as PR became a science—it's that perfectly neutral word that helps people talk about downgrading bad news without ever saying 'hide it' or 'ignore it,' which reveals how language gets shaped by institutional needs.
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