EM DASH

About this character

The em dash (U+2014) is the widest dash in typography, approximating the width of a capital M. Its primary function is to signal abrupt breaks in thought, introduce parenthetical remarks, or add dramatic emphasis where a comma or colon feels too weak. Historically, it descends from the long dash used by eighteenth-century printers, later codified in modern type systems. In writing, it creates a forceful, informal pause, though style guides differ on surrounding spaces. In typography and design, its unstinting width demands careful use to avoid visual heaviness; in programming, it appears only within character-encoded strings or comments, never as syntax. It is distinct from the shorter en dash and hyphen.

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