destacar
verbCEFR B2
What does “destacar” mean in English?
to highlight, to point out
to highlight, to point out (to draw attention to; cabe destacar que… / me gustaría destacar que…)
Example sentences
Me gustaría destacar que este es el primer estudio de este tipo realizado en el contexto español.
I'd like to highlight that this is the first study of this type carried out in the Spanish context.
El informe destaca la ausencia de datos comparables como uno de los principales obstáculos metodológicos.
The report highlights the absence of comparable data as one of the main methodological obstacles.
Cabe destacar que los resultados varían considerablemente en función del grupo de edad considerado.
It is worth highlighting that results vary considerably depending on the age group considered.
How to use it
Destacar means 'to highlight', 'to stress', or 'to point out' — drawing attention to something significant. It is very close in meaning to subrayar but slightly broader: subrayar implies underlining a single critical point, while destacar can mean 'stand out' as well as 'emphasise'. Pattern: destacar que + indicative (the speaker presents the highlighted fact as true); destacar + noun object ('destacar la importancia de…'). Reflexive form: destacarse (to stand out, to be notable) — a different sense, don't confuse.
Common mistake
Destacar and subrayar are near-synonyms in the emphasis sense, but destacarse (reflexive) means 'to stand out / to be noteworthy' — a completely different sense: 'El candidato se destaca por su experiencia' (The candidate stands out for his experience). Don't use the reflexive when you mean 'to emphasise'. Also: cabe destacar que is a fixed formal written phrase meaning 'it is worth noting/highlighting that'.