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destacado

des-ta-KAH-do/destaˈkaðo/

“destacado” means “outstanding” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

outstanding, prominent

Also: notable, distinguished
A single bright yellow star shining brightly among several smaller, dull gray stars.

📝 In Action

Ella es una científica destacada en su campo.

B1

She is an outstanding scientist in her field.

El edificio tiene una torre muy destacada.

B2

The building has a very prominent tower.

Tuvo un papel destacado en la negociación.

C1

He had a leading role in the negotiation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • papel destacado – leading/prominent role
  • figura destacada – prominent figure
  • alumno destacado – outstanding student

featured, highlighted

A colorful book placed on a small velvet pedestal with a spotlight shining on it.

📝 In Action

Mira los productos destacados en la página principal.

B1

Look at the featured products on the home page.

La noticia destacada de hoy es sobre el clima.

A2

Today's featured news is about the weather.

Este color hace que el texto sea más destacado.

B2

This color makes the text more highlighted/prominent.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • subrayado (underlined/highlighted)
  • relevante (relevant)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • productos destacados – featured products
  • noticia destacada – top story / featured news
  • lo más destacado – the highlights

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: destacado

Question 1 of 3

How would you describe a student who gets the best grades in class?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
destacar(to stand out / to highlight) — Verb
destaque(prominence / importance) — Noun
destacamento(detachment (military group)) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish verb 'destacar', which comes from 'de-' (expressing separation or intensity) and 'sacar' (to take out). It originally meant taking something out from a larger group to make it visible.

First recorded: 17th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: détachéItalian: distaccato

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'destacado' always mean something good?

Usually, yes. It implies being 'notable' or 'outstanding' in a positive way. However, it can technically be used for negative things if they are particularly prominent, though 'notorio' (notorious) is more common for negative things.

Is 'destacado' a verb or an adjective?

It can be both! It is the 'past participle' form of the verb 'destacar' (meaning it can mean 'highlighted'), but it is most frequently used as an adjective to describe people or things that are 'outstanding'.

What is the difference between 'importante' and 'destacado'?

'Importante' just means significant. 'Destacado' means that something literally 'stands out' or is visible compared to everything else around it.