<strike>
The <strike> element was used to render text with a horizontal line through it (strikethrough). It was a purely presentational element that has been deprecated in favor of semantic alternatives that convey the meaning of the strikethrough.
This page was last updated on 2025-11-17
Deprecation Warning
This element is deprecated and should not be used. The <strike> element was deprecated in HTML 4.01 and is obsolete in HTML5. Use semantic alternatives like <del> or <s> instead.
The <strike> element only described the visual appearance (a line through text) without conveying why the text was struck through. Modern HTML provides semantic elements that communicate the meaning: <del> for deleted content and <s> for content that is no longer accurate or relevant.
Syntax
<strike>struck through text</strike>
The element required both opening and closing tags.
Modern Alternatives
For Deleted Content: Use <del>
When text has been removed from a document:
<p>The meeting is scheduled for <del>Tuesday</del> <ins>Wednesday</ins>.</p>
For No Longer Accurate/Relevant: Use <s>
When text is no longer accurate but shouldn't be removed:
<p>Price: <s>$50.00</s> $29.99</p>
For Purely Visual Strikethrough: Use CSS
When you just want the visual effect without semantic meaning:
<span style="text-decoration: line-through;">decorative strikethrough</span>
Migration Examples
<!-- Old way (deprecated) -->
<strike>old price</strike>
<!-- New way (semantic) -->
<s>old price</s>
<!-- For document edits -->
<del datetime="2024-01-15">removed content</del>
When to Avoid
Always avoid using <strike>. Choose the appropriate semantic alternative:
- Use <del> when marking text as deleted from a document (editorial changes)
- Use <s> when marking text as no longer accurate or relevant (like old prices)
- Use CSS
text-decoration: line-throughfor purely decorative effects - Never use <strike> as it fails HTML5 validation and provides no semantic meaning
