Strikethrough can make a word appear crossed out. It is useful for a playful correction, a before-and-after idea, or a short visual joke. But there are two separate ways to create it: rich-text formatting inside an app, or Unicode combining marks attached to letters.
Formatting versus copied characters
If an editor provides a strikethrough formatting control, it can draw a line across the text without changing the underlying letters. Copy-and-paste strikethrough generators may instead attach a combining mark to each character. For example, n̶o̶t̶ uses marks that can behave differently across devices.
How to use a copied effect
- Type a short phrase, not a full paragraph, into the generator.
- Look in the Text Effects category for a strike or overlay style.
- Copy the result and paste it into the destination.
- If marks separate from the letters or make the line too tall, switch to the app's native formatting feature where available.
When it adds meaning
A short line such as old plan crossed out next to new plan can signal a revision. However, users relying on assistive technology may not hear the visual line as a deletion. If the difference matters, add ordinary words such as “revised” or “updated” so everyone understands.
What can go wrong?
Some Unicode combining marks stack unevenly in different fonts. Editing a converted word character by character can also detach the marks. Recopy the entire generated result rather than fixing individual accents after pasting. Avoid using this effect in legal, medical or important instructional text.
Strikethrough is most effective as a brief visual accent. It should never be the only way you communicate a correction.