to emphasize everything is to emphasize nothing
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: emphasize everything and nothing is emphasized
Meaning · English
Emphasize excessively and nothing will stand out.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The temptation is constantly to tresspass upon the domain of Elocution, and indicate beforehand all particular emphasis; moreover, to emphasize everything is to emphasize nothing.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “to emphasize everything is to emphasize nothing” mean?
Emphasize excessively and nothing will stand out.
Is “to emphasize everything is to emphasize nothing” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.