# to emphasize everything is to emphasize nothing

> English word · Proverb

## Definitions
1. Emphasize excessively and nothing will stand out.

## Etymology
Perhaps coined by American liberal arts professor John Scott Clark (see quote 1886) but more likely to be traditional. Used with many variations.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/to-emphasize-everything-is-to-emphasize-nothing