What does the term "emphasize" most nearly mean?

The term "emphasize" refers to giving special importance or prominence to something. In this context, "accentuate" aligns perfectly with the definition, as it means to make something more noticeable or prominent, which is fundamentally what it means to emphasize an idea or point.

When someone emphasizes a particular point in speech or writing, they are drawing attention to it and stressing its importance, thereby making it stand out to the audience. This is similar to how "accentuate" means to enhance or highlight something, confirming that it is indeed the most accurate synonym among the options provided.