HtmlHow-ToBeginner · 3 min read

How to Strikethrough Text in HTML: Simple Syntax and Examples

To strikethrough text in HTML, use the <s> or <del> tags around the text you want to cross out. Both tags visually show a line through the text, indicating it is deleted or no longer relevant.

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Syntax

The basic way to strikethrough text is to wrap it inside the <s> or <del> tags.

<s>...</s>: Shows text with a line through it, often used for content that is no longer accurate.
<del>...</del>: Represents deleted text, also shown with a strikethrough.

html

<s>strikethrough text</s>

<del>deleted text</del>

Output

strikethrough text deleted text

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Example

This example shows how to use the <s> and <del> tags to strikethrough text in a simple HTML page.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>Strikethrough Example</title>
</head>
<body>
  <p>This is <s>strikethrough</s> text using the &lt;s&gt; tag.</p>
  <p>This is <del>deleted</del> text using the &lt;del&gt; tag.</p>
</body>
</html>

Output

This is strikethrough text using the s tag. This is deleted text using the del tag.

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Common Pitfalls

Some common mistakes when trying to strikethrough text in HTML include:

Using the <strike> tag, which is deprecated and should be avoided.
Trying to use CSS text-decoration: line-through; without understanding it requires a style attribute or stylesheet.
Not closing the tags properly, which can break the HTML structure.

html

<!-- Wrong: Deprecated tag -->
<strike>old way</strike>

<!-- Right: Modern tag -->
<s>correct way</s>

Output

old way correct way

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Quick Reference

Tag	Purpose	Status
	Strikethrough text	Current standard
	Deleted text with semantic meaning	Current standard
	Strikethrough text	Deprecated, avoid using

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Key Takeaways

Use ~~or ~~tags to strikethrough text in HTML.~~~~

~~tag is deprecated and should not be used.~~

~~Always close tags properly to avoid HTML errors.~~

~~Use ~~when you want to show deleted content semantically.~~~~

~~For styling, CSS text-decoration: line-through can also create strikethrough.~~