hincapié

Hincapié is a masculine noun in Spanish that denotes the action of emphasizing or highlighting a specific aspect of a topic, as well as the importance attributed to that aspect in speech, writing, or argument. It is commonly used with the construction hacer hincapié en + [topic] or poner hincapié en + [concept], and can also refer to the insistence with which a point is underlined or stressed.

Origin and sense: The term derives from the verb hincar, and through a figurative sense of “pinning” or “inserting firmly,” it developed to express emphasis or insistence. Over time, hincapié became a standard noun for the rhetorical or discursive act of stressing a point.

Usage and scope: Hincapié is frequent in formal, academic, and journalistic writing. It signals that a particular aspect deserves special attention and is often used to guide the reader’s or listener’s focus. Examples include: “El informe hace hincapié en la necesidad de reducir costos,” and “La guía pone hincapié en las buenas prácticas de seguridad.”

Synonyms and nuances: Close synonyms include énfasis, acento, y subrayado, while the concept opposite can be described as desenfasis or falta de hincapié. Hincapié conveys a sense of deliberate emphasis or insistence that other terms may not fully capture.

Regional notes: The expression is widely understood across Spanish-speaking regions, with consistent usage in Spain and Latin America. Some variants may prefer sinónimos como “énfasis” or “recalcar” depending on registro y contexto.