Strikethrough Example: How to Use Strikethrough Correctly and When to Avoid It

Strikethrough is used to indicate revision, removal, or correction while preserving the original text in documents, code, and communication tools. This guide explains how to apply strikethrough effectively, when it improves clarity, and when simpler alternatives are preferable across email, documents, code, and web content. Readers will find concrete examples, accessibility considerations, and guidance for maintaining professionalism and semantic accuracy.

What Is Strikethrough and When to Use It

Strikethrough places a horizontal line through text to show that content is changed, canceled, or annotated without deleting it. In collaborative writing, project management, and code review, strikethrough helps readers immediately see what was removed or revised while retaining context. Use cases include indicating retracted statements, marking completed tasks, showing deprecated data, or highlighting corrections in versioned drafts. When clarity and traceability matter more than a clean final appearance, strikethrough offers a low-friction way to communicate change.

How to Apply Strikethrough in Common Tools

Implementation varies by platform, from keyboard shortcuts to menu actions or markup syntax. In word processors, you typically select text and choose a strikethrough style; in chat apps, the client often applies a visual line; in HTML and markdown, specific syntax produces the effect. Choosing the right method depends on the medium and audience. Prioritize native features over custom workarounds to ensure consistent rendering and maintain readability across viewers and devices.

Email and Messaging Platforms

Email clients: Use built-in strikethrough buttons or keyboard shortcuts after selecting text.
Chat apps: Apply strikethrough via formatting menus or keyboard shortcuts where supported.
Task trackers: Mark completed or obsolete items with strikethrough for quick visual scanning.

Web Development and Documentation

HTML: Use the <s> or <del> elements, choosing <del> for deletions that imply removal and <s> for neutral strikethrough.
Markdown: Wrap text with double tildes ~~strikethrough~~ when the renderer supports it.
Code comments: Use sparingly to indicate obsolete code paths or temporary debugging lines.

Clear Strikethrough Examples and Alternatives

The following examples compare strikethrough with cleaner alternatives to help you choose the right approach. Consider readability, accessibility, and long-term maintenance when deciding how to present changes or retractions.

Use Case Strikethrough Example Preferred Alternative Why

Retract a statement We will meet at 9:00 AM~~.~ 10:00 AM We will meet at 10:00 AM. The earlier time has been updated. Explicit correction improves clarity and prevents confusion.

Mark deprecated feature function oldMethod() { }~~ Use console.warn and document migration path. Screen readers may ignore <s>; announcements aid users.

Task completed

~~Draft outline~~

Move task to Done column or replace with checkbox.

Use Case	Strikethrough Example	Preferred Alternative	Why
Retract a statement	We will meet at 9:00 AM~~.~ 10:00 AM	We will meet at 10:00 AM. The earlier time has been updated.	Explicit correction improves clarity and prevents confusion.
Mark deprecated feature	function oldMethod() { }~~	Use `console.warn` and document migration path.	Screen readers may ignore `<s>`; announcements aid users.
Task completed	~~Draft outline~~	Move task to Done column or replace with checkbox.	Task managers provide state better than purely visual cues. Accessibility and Screen Reader Behavior Strikethrough can create accessibility barriers if relied upon alone to convey meaning. Many screen readers do not automatically announce a line through text, so users may miss critical changes or corrections. To ensure accessible communication, pair strikethrough with explicit text, ARIA labels, or status updates. For example, state both the original and corrected information in sentence form so assistive technologies present a complete message. SEO and Content Clarity Considerations For web content, prefer semantic elements and clear prose over visual formatting to communicate changes. Use `<s>` or `<del>` when indicating removed information, and provide surrounding context that explains why the change occurred. Search engines can interpret deletion semantics, but users benefit most when the narrative remains coherent. Avoid excessive strikethrough in headings or key value propositions, as it can distract from primary messages and reduce scannability. Best Practices and Common Pitfalls Use strikethrough intentionally and sparingly to highlight meaningful changes rather than as a design habit. Reserve it for situations where showing the prior state adds value, such as legal revisions, specification updates, or task tracking. Avoid decorative or ambiguous uses, and always ensure that the final intended meaning is clear without relying solely on the line. When in doubt, prefer explicit correction text, status fields, or version notes over purely visual formatting. Summary and Quick Guidance Strikethrough is a practical tool for showing edits, retractions, and removals when preserving context matters. Apply it consistently across email, documents, code, and web content, and pair it with accessible alternatives and clear explanations. Choose semantic markup like `<del>` for deletions, communicate changes in prose, and rely on task-state indicators in workflows. Used thoughtfully, strikethrough improves traceability and transparency without sacrificing professionalism or clarity.

Task managers provide state better than purely visual cues.

Strikethrough can create accessibility barriers if relied upon alone to convey meaning. Many screen readers do not automatically announce a line through text, so users may miss critical changes or corrections. To ensure accessible communication, pair strikethrough with explicit text, ARIA labels, or status updates. For example, state both the original and corrected information in sentence form so assistive technologies present a complete message.

SEO and Content Clarity Considerations

For web content, prefer semantic elements and clear prose over visual formatting to communicate changes. Use <s> or <del> when indicating removed information, and provide surrounding context that explains why the change occurred. Search engines can interpret deletion semantics, but users benefit most when the narrative remains coherent. Avoid excessive strikethrough in headings or key value propositions, as it can distract from primary messages and reduce scannability.

Best Practices and Common Pitfalls

Use strikethrough intentionally and sparingly to highlight meaningful changes rather than as a design habit. Reserve it for situations where showing the prior state adds value, such as legal revisions, specification updates, or task tracking. Avoid decorative or ambiguous uses, and always ensure that the final intended meaning is clear without relying solely on the line. When in doubt, prefer explicit correction text, status fields, or version notes over purely visual formatting.

Summary and Quick Guidance

Strikethrough is a practical tool for showing edits, retractions, and removals when preserving context matters. Apply it consistently across email, documents, code, and web content, and pair it with accessible alternatives and clear explanations. Choose semantic markup like <del> for deletions, communicate changes in prose, and rely on task-state indicators in workflows. Used thoughtfully, strikethrough improves traceability and transparency without sacrificing professionalism or clarity.