On Windows, hold Alt and type 0151 on the numeric keypad to insert em dash.

Alt code
Alt+0151
HTML entity
—
Unicode
U+2014

About this symbol

The em dash is named after its width. In traditional typesetting an em is the size of the type, and the dash is one em long, approximately the width of a capital M. Writers use it to mark a sharp break in a sentence.

British printers often use a spaced en dash for the same job, while American style favours the unspaced em dash.

Unicode facts

Official name
EM DASH
Type
Dash
Unicode block
General Punctuation
Unicode group
Dashes
Added in
Unicode 1.1 (1993)
Unicode notes
  • May be used in pairs to offset parenthetical text
Related
⸺ Two-Em Dash U+2E3A
ー Katakana-Hiragana Prolonged Sound Mark U+30FC

Click the symbol or any value at the top of the page to copy it. See the full Punctuation and Typography Marks chart for related characters.

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