Markdown Syntax · Strikethrough

How to Strikethrough Text in Markdown
And why it sometimes fails

To cross out text in Markdown, wrap it in double tildes: ~~text~~. That is the whole syntax. The catch is that strikethrough is a GitHub-Flavored Markdown extension, not part of original Markdown, so it works in most modern tools but not in every one.

Here is the syntax, the reason it sometimes shows up as literal tildes, and how to combine it with other formatting.

The syntax

What How Note
Cross out text ~~text~~ Double tildes each side (GFM)
Bold + strikethrough ~~**text**~~ Nest the two markers
In a task list - [x] ~~done thing~~ Cross out a completed item
Single tilde ~text~ Not strikethrough; ignored or read as subscript

All together:

~~This text is crossed out.~~

- [x] ~~Buy milk~~
- [ ] Still to do

You can ~~**cross out bold**~~ too.

Why your strikethrough sometimes fails

The one thing that trips people up: strikethrough is not in the original Markdown spec. It comes from GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM). So if your renderer only supports plain CommonMark, ~~text~~ shows up literally, tildes and all, instead of crossing out.

The good news is that most tools people actually use, GitHub, most editors, chat apps, and NoteLoom, support GFM, so it just works. If it does not, that is your sign the renderer is strict CommonMark. For the general question of what renders where, see why AI uses Markdown.

Combining and common uses

  • With bold or italic: nest the markers, ~~**crossed-out bold**~~. Close each one you open.
  • In a task list: cross out the item text next to a checked box, a tidy way to show a to-do is done. See how to make a list.
  • For edits: strike the old wording and add the new next to it, so a reader sees what changed instead of losing it.

What if you want a literal tilde?

If you actually want to show ~~ as text rather than trigger strikethrough, escape it with a backslash, or put it in inline code. That is the same trick as any Markdown character, covered in how to escape characters in Markdown.

Strikethrough with NoteLoom

Because NoteLoom supports GitHub-Flavored Markdown, strikethrough is one of the things that just renders. It is an editor that reads and writes local .md files in the browser: type ~~text~~ in the source view and the live and reading views show it crossed out, so you can confirm it took instead of guessing.

To be clear about the boundaries: NoteLoom has no AI. It will not rewrite or edit your text. It renders and saves your local file, and the writing stays with you.

How you use it: open app.noteloom.cc in Chrome / Edge / Arc, mount a local folder, and write in the source view while the live view shows the result. Saved straight to your disk, no cloud, no account.

Related reading

How to Write Markdown? The basic syntax, bold and italic included. How do you make a list in Markdown? Task lists, where a strikethrough marks a done item. How do you escape characters in Markdown? When you want a literal ~~ instead of a strikethrough. Why does AI use Markdown? Why some features work in one tool and not another. Online Markdown Editor Write and preview local md files, GFM and all.

FAQ

How do I strikethrough text in Markdown?
Wrap the text in double tildes: ~~text~~. It renders with a line through it. This is a GitHub-Flavored Markdown feature, so you need a renderer that supports GFM.
Why is my strikethrough not working?
Your renderer probably does not support GFM. Plain CommonMark has no strikethrough, so ~~text~~ shows up literally with the tildes. Most modern tools support GFM, but older or strict ones do not.
Is it one tilde or two?
Two. ~~text~~ is strikethrough. A single ~text~ is not standard strikethrough: some renderers ignore it, and a few read it as subscript. When in doubt, use two.
Can I combine strikethrough with bold or italic?
Yes. Nest the markers: ~~**bold and crossed out**~~ or ~~*italic and crossed out*~~. Just close each marker you open, and the order does not matter much.
Where is strikethrough useful?
Crossing out a finished item in a to-do list, showing an edit or a revision while keeping the original visible, or marking something as deprecated without deleting it.
Does NoteLoom render strikethrough?
Yes. NoteLoom supports GitHub-Flavored Markdown, so ~~text~~ renders with a line through it in the live and reading views. It has no AI: it just renders and saves your local .md file.
Can I do this with NoteLoom on my phone or in Safari?
Not for now. NoteLoom relies on the browser’s File System Access API, which currently works in Chromium-based desktop browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Arc. Firefox, Safari, and mobile are not supported yet.

See your strikethrough render as you type

Open NoteLoom in Chrome / Edge / Arc, mount a local folder, and type ~~text~~ in the source view while the live view shows it crossed out. Saved straight back to your disk, no software to install and no account to sign up for.

Open NoteLoom and try it