Swung Dash ⁓

⁓ (U+2053) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.

What it is and where it’s used: Swung Dash is part of the Symbols family (block: General Punctuation). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.

History & usage: The Swung Dash is a punctuation mark in the General Punctuation block. Its code point is U+2053, and its name in English is Swung Dash. It belongs to the Common script, so it appears across languages that use Latin style text. In history and usage notes, it sits among other dash marks as a flexible sign. The symbol is designed to connect ideas or ideas with a light pause, but it is not common in all styles. Punctuation marks structure text and convey tone; usage conventions differ by style and locale. Writers may use the swung dash to indicate a shift in thought, an informal aside, or a flexible link between elements. Editors decide its role based on house style, country, and audience. Because it is not widely adopted, it can look unfamiliar in plain text or simple documents. When it appears, authors often treat it as decorative or as a substitute for ranges or interruptions. The character is safe to cite in discussions of typography and digital text, and it remains part of the Unicode standard for completeness. Strong emphasis can highlight its unique function in a sentence if needed.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2053 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.

Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.

Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.

See our category page for related symbols.