Strikethrough Text Text Generator
Copy & paste strikethrough text Unicode text — works on Instagram, TikTok, Discord
Strikethrough Text
41 charsWorks on These Platforms
Related Styles
About Strikethrough Text
Strikethrough text — text with a line drawn through the middle — is created on this site using Unicode combining character U+0336 (Combining Long Stroke Overlay). Unlike HTML strikethrough (<s> or <del> tags), this approach works anywhere Unicode renders: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Discord, WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.
The way combining characters work is clever: U+0336 is a zero-width character that, when placed after any character, draws a horizontal line through that character. The generator places this combining character after every letter and digit in your text, producing the strikethrough effect character by character. Spaces are typically left undecorated to preserve natural word spacing.
Why is strikethrough text so popular? It carries inherent editorial meaning — crossed-out text implies that something was there and was removed, corrected, or changed. This creates an immediate narrative: the reader sees both the crossed-out word and wonders about the implied replacement or reason for the crossing. Humor writers use it for comedic effect ("I definitely did not eat five tacos for dinner 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆̶ ̶𝘁̶𝗵̶𝗶̶𝘀̶ ̶𝘄̶𝗲̶𝗲̶𝗸̶"). Business accounts use it to show prices that have been reduced.
Instagram accounts use strikethrough in captions to create a "self-correcting" voice that feels honest and relatable. A caption that "corrects itself" in strikethrough tells a story with more layers than a straight statement. It is also used in before/after contexts, habit-tracking posts, and "expectations vs reality" content.
On Discord, strikethrough exists as native Markdown (~~double tildes~~), but Unicode strikethrough offers a different visual look — the combining character version produces a thinner, more precise line that sits at a different visual position than Discord's built-in strikethrough. Some users prefer the Unicode version for stylistic reasons.
Twitter has no native strikethrough formatting, making Unicode strikethrough one of the only ways to achieve the effect. It is regularly used for joke tweets, self-aware commentary, and content that wants to show "the thing I almost said before thinking better of it."
WhatsApp users use strikethrough (which WhatsApp supports natively via single tildas) but Unicode strikethrough also works and survives copy-paste from other apps.
Combining strikethrough with other styles produces distinctive effects: bold strikethrough looks authoritative while crossed out; gothic strikethrough has a dark, dramatic quality; italic strikethrough feels editorial and writerly. All these combinations are available on this site.
Technical note: because the combining character attaches to individual characters rather than spanning the whole word, very long strikethrough text can sometimes appear slightly inconsistent across different rendering engines. It works well for short to medium phrases and single words, which covers most social media use cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Unicode strikethrough work? +
The generator places Unicode combining character U+0336 (Combining Long Stroke Overlay) after each letter. This zero-width character draws a horizontal line through the preceding character. Because this uses actual Unicode characters, it works anywhere Unicode renders, including all social media platforms.
Is this the same as Discord strikethrough (~~text~~)? +
No. Discord's ~~tilde~~ strikethrough is Markdown formatting that only works inside Discord. Unicode combining strikethrough works on any platform and is a different visual effect — thinner line, slightly different position. Both produce crossed-out text but through different mechanisms.
Does strikethrough text work on Instagram? +
Yes. Unicode combining characters render correctly on Instagram in bios, captions, and comments. The strikethrough line appears for all viewers on all devices.
Can I combine strikethrough with bold or italic? +
Yes. This site allows you to apply strikethrough to already-styled text. Bold strikethrough (crossed-out bold letters), italic strikethrough, Gothic strikethrough, and cursive strikethrough are all available as combined styles.
Does strikethrough text work in WhatsApp? +
Yes, Unicode strikethrough works in WhatsApp messages and status. WhatsApp also has its own native strikethrough (surrounding text with ~tildes~), but the Unicode version looks different and works without the formatting syntax.
Why does my strikethrough look slightly off on some characters? +
The combining character approach applies the strike line to each character independently. On some fonts, the line may sit at a slightly different height for certain characters. This is a rendering variation across different operating systems and fonts, and is generally subtle enough not to be noticeable in normal use.
Can strikethrough text be used in TikTok bios? +
Yes. TikTok displays Unicode combining characters correctly in bios and display names. Strikethrough in a TikTok bio creates a distinctive, witty visual effect.
Is strikethrough text accessible? +
Screen readers typically read strikethrough Unicode text as the base characters without announcing the strikethrough. For content where the strikethrough communicates meaning (like a price reduction or correction), provide the context in the surrounding regular text as well.