Die woordeboekbetekenis van die woord "beklemtoon" is om iets sterk en kragtig te beklemtoon, dikwels deur duidelike of definitiewe taal of optrede te gebruik om oortuiging of beklemtoning uit te druk. Dit kan ook verwys na 'n persoon wat met groot krag en oortuiging praat of optree en hul punt op 'n duidelike en selfversekerde manier maak.
1. Confronted by a barrage of emphatic hollering, we come to a halt at the first table, Shirley standing, feet apart, arms behind her back, one hand gripping her paper bag.
2. It stood to its full height, craning its neck so that its eyes could regard him above its stubby snout, the elaborate horns that jut from out of its forehead coalescing into one emphatic promontory of steely bone.
3. Markis held up his left index finger to his lips in an emphatic gesture for silence.
4. Funny how most people obey emphatic, familiar signals, he thought.