En Dash vs. Em Dash
An en dash and an em dash are different marks. In Microsoft’s style guidance, the en dash is used for ranges and selected compounds, while the em dash marks a stronger sentence break or parenthetical interruption.
Use an en dash for ranges where the style calls for one; use an em dash for a strong break or parenthetical interruption.
Key details
Important caveats
Usage Boundary
Do not substitute hyphens, en dashes, and em dashes indiscriminately; spacing around dashes is a style decision and should follow the governing guide.
Further guidance
Em Dash
An em dash commonly marks a strong break, interruption, or parenthetical element in a sentence.
En Dash
An en dash is commonly used for numeric or date ranges and in selected compound constructions governed by style.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Dashes and hyphens — Microsoft Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · En-dash and em-dash functions, including number ranges and sentence breaks