The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word STRESSES
S
T
R
E
S
S
E
S
More clues leading to the result STRESSES
- Elders perhaps protect sisters after small hassles
- Emphasizes troubles, not half dire
- Locks after Schubert’s opening strains
- Highlights in son’s hair
- Emphasises, “Special locks”
- . Small locks result in tensions
- Highlights in primarily straight hair
- Growing small trees aboard ship causes troubles
- Forces top-secret locks
- Emphasises the importance of second locks
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Highlights" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case highlights = stresses.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does STRESSES mean?
STRESSES noun- (Cause of) discomfort.
- Serious danger.
- An aversive state of stress to which a person cannot fully adapt.
- A seizing of property without legal process to force payment of a debt.
- The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction.
- A physical, chemical, infective agent aggressing an organism.
- Aggression toward an organism resulting in a response in an attempt to restore previous conditions.
- The internal distribution of force across a small boundary per unit area of that boundary (pressure) within a body. It causes strain or deformation and is typically symbolised by σ or τ.
- Force externally applied to a body which cause internal stress within the body.
- Emotional pressure suffered by a human being or other animal.
- The emphasis placed on a syllable of a word.
- Emphasis placed on words in speaking.
- Emphasis placed on a particular point in an argument or discussion (whether spoken or written).
- Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained.
- To apply force to (a body or structure) causing strain.
- To apply emotional pressure to (a person or animal).
- To suffer stress; to worry or be agitated.
- To emphasise (a syllable of a word).
- To emphasise (words in speaking).
- To emphasise (a point) in an argument or discussion.