spotlighted

Spotlighted is the past tense and past participle of the verb spotlight, meaning to draw attention to something or someone, or to illuminate it with a spotlight. Figuratively, it is used to indicate that a subject has been made a focus of discussion, coverage, or public attention. The term can also function as an adjective describing something that has been highlighted or brought into the public gaze, for example a spotlighted feature in a report or a spotlighted performer on stage. In theatre and film, a spotlight is a focused beam of light used to illuminate a performer; the verb sense extends this function to non-literal attention.

The word derives from the stage lighting term spotlight, a bright, focused light used to highlight a performer. Over time, spotlight as a verb to draw attention has entered journalism, media, marketing, and everyday language. Spelling variants exist; both spotlighted and spotlit are used as past tense forms, with spotlighted more common in American English and spotlit often preferred in British English.

Usage notes: Spotlighting is a neutral, descriptive term and does not imply a positive or negative judgment about the attention given. In media contexts, a report may spotlight issues, policies, or individuals; in performance contexts, a performer is literally or figuratively placed in the spotlight. The term is widely understood across journalism, entertainment, and everyday discourse.