shortcut strikethrough

2 min read 18-10-2024

Striking Through Text: Shortcuts and Beyond

Have you ever needed to quickly strikethrough text to indicate it's no longer relevant, deprecated, or simply incorrect? Whether you're writing a blog post, a technical document, or just an email, knowing how to strikethrough text efficiently can save you valuable time.

Let's explore the common shortcuts and methods for achieving this, along with some additional context and uses.

Striking Through Text: The Keyboard Shortcuts

For most text editors and word processors, the keyboard shortcut for strikethrough is:

Ctrl + ~ (tilde) for Windows/Linux
Command + Option + ~ for Mac

This simple combination allows you to quickly toggle strikethrough for selected text.

But what if you don't remember this shortcut, or your editor lacks this functionality? No worries! There are alternative methods that can help.

Other Ways to Strikethrough Text

Using Markdown: For writing in Markdown, you can use the ~~ (double tilde) characters to strikethrough text. This is particularly helpful for writing documentation, blog posts, or other content that uses Markdown formatting.

Example: ~~This text is now deprecated.~~
Using HTML: If you're working with HTML code, the tag does the job. This is a bit less common nowadays, but it's still valid for older documents or specific scenarios.

Example: ~~This text is no longer accurate.~~
Using Formatting Tools: Most text editors and word processors have dedicated formatting tools. Look for an option like "strikethrough" or "strikeout" in the formatting toolbar or menu.

Beyond Simple Strikethrough

While strikethrough is primarily used for marking text as outdated or incorrect, it can also be used creatively:

Highlighting changes: In collaborative documents, strikethrough can help highlight changes made by different authors.
Creating lists: Strikethrough can be used to mark off completed items in a to-do list.
Adding emphasis: Using strikethrough in combination with other formatting can add emphasis to specific words or phrases.

Example in Context

Imagine you're writing a document about programming languages. You might use strikethrough to indicate deprecated features or outdated practices.

Example:

The `print` function is **no longer recommended** for outputting data in modern Python. 
~~Use the `print()` function instead for better readability and functionality.~~

In this example, we use strikethrough to mark the outdated advice about the print function. This makes it clear to the reader what is still relevant and what has been superseded.

Conclusion

Strikethrough is a versatile formatting tool that can help you communicate clearly and effectively. By mastering the shortcut and understanding its various applications, you can enhance your written content and make it more engaging for your audience.