Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

em dash

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.90 in modern English

Syllables
em -dash
IPA
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The symbol (—) (used to demarcate a parenthetical thought or to indicate a break, or for emphasis); a one-em or long dash.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Named for its width, which is equal to the width of the letter m or M, or approximately twice the width of an en dash.

Inflected Forms

em dashes (plural) emdash (alternative) em-dash (alternative) m dash (alternative)

Phrases

en dash

Frequently Paired Words

en dash hyphen rule

Synonyms

em rule m-rule mutton dash ChatGPT hyphen

Questions

What does em dash mean?
The symbol (—) (used to demarcate a parenthetical thought or to indicate a break, or for emphasis); a one-em or long dash.
Where does em dash come from?
Named for its width, which is equal to the width of the letter m or M, or approximately twice the width of an en dash.

How to pronounce em dash

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “em dash”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “em dash”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “em dash” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.