Em Dash
The em dash sets off a strong break in a sentence. It is the width of a capital M. Some house styles avoid it entirely and prefer a comma or a set of parentheses. The em dash (—) sits at code point U+2014 in Unicode. It belongs to the punctuation family and pastes as plain text, so it keeps working across documents, messages and web pages. Below you can copy it in one click and grab the exact HTML, CSS and JavaScript codes you need to reproduce it anywhere.
How to type the em dash symbol
- Copy and paste: click the — at the top of this page, then paste with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac). This is the fastest route on any device.
- Windows alt code: hold Alt and type
0151on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. - HTML: write
—or the named entity—in your markup. - CSS: use
content: "\2014"in a::beforeor::afterrule. - JavaScript: the escape
\u2014produces this character in a string.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy the em dash symbol?
Click the — above or the copy button and it is placed on your clipboard. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. It is a real text character, so it works in documents, chats and code.
What is the Unicode code point for em dash?
The em dash has the Unicode code point U+2014. In HTML you can write it as — or —, or with the named entity —.
What is the alt code for the em dash symbol?
On Windows, hold the Alt key and type Alt 0151 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Copying the — from this page is quicker and works on any device.
Does the em dash symbol work everywhere?
In almost every modern app and font, yes. If a font does not include this glyph you may see a placeholder box, but the underlying character U+2014 is still correct and will render in a font that supports it.
Related symbols
Browse the full punctuation symbols hub, or return to the searchable symbol grid.