to emphasize / underline
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to emphasize
To particularly stress or highlight something (a statement, a demand, an opinion) through words or actions in order to give it more weight.
Der Redner wollte mit seiner emotionalen Wortwahl die Dringlichkeit des Themas unterstreichen.
With his emotional choice of words, the speaker wanted to emphasize the urgency of the topic.
'Unterstreichen' (to emphasize/underline) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'unter-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses. The past participle is 'unterstrichen' (emphasized/underlined).
Er unterstrich die Wichtigkeit von Teamarbeit.
He emphasized the importance of teamwork.
The word is made up of 'unter' (under) and 'streichen' (to draw a line). The figurative meaning 'betonen' (to emphasize) derives directly from the literal action of highlighting something important with a line.
Seine Taten unterstreichen seine Worte.
His actions emphasize his words.
The context makes clear which meaning is intended. If the object is something abstract, e.g. 'Bedeutung' (meaning/significance) or 'Wichtigkeit' (importance), the figurative meaning is meant. If the object is a text or word, the literal meaning is meant.
Der Politiker unterstrich seine Forderung nach mehr Klimaschutz.
The politician emphasized his demand for more climate protection.
In the figurative meaning, 'unterstreichen' (to emphasize) is often used with abstract nouns to stress their relevance. Typical phrases are: die Bedeutung unterstreichen (to emphasize the significance), die Wichtigkeit unterstreichen (to emphasize the importance), eine Aussage unterstreichen (to emphasize a statement), or eine Forderung unterstreichen (to emphasize a demand).
Ich möchte die Wichtigkeit dieser Regel noch einmal unterstreichen.
I would like to emphasize the importance of this rule once again.
to emphasize / stress
'betonen' and 'unterstreichen' can both mean that you give more weight to a statement. 'betonen' is very general: you say or show that something is important. In this meaning, 'unterstreichen' often sounds a bit stronger because it means that you additionally support a statement, for example through facts or actions. In addition, 'unterstreichen' can quite literally mean to draw a line under a word. When speaking, 'betonen' is often the simpler choice; for statements, demands, or evidence, 'unterstreichen' fits well.
Mit neuen Zahlen unterstreicht er seine Kritik am Projekt.
With new figures, he reinforces his criticism of the project.
In der Nachbarschaft betont sie immer wieder, wie wichtig gegenseitige Hilfe ist.
In the neighborhood, she keeps emphasizing how important mutual help is.