HTML <u> Tag

The <u> HTML tag is used to underline text in an HTML document. Traditionally, underlining was often associated with hyperlinks, but in modern HTML, <u> is intended to represent text that has a non-emphatic annotation, such as proper names in Chinese text, misspelled words, or stylistically distinct text that should be visually set apart. The underline is purely a visual presentation, and by default, browsers render the text with a solid line beneath it.

Unlike <em> or <strong>, which convey semantic emphasis or importance, <u> is not inherently semantic in meaning; it primarily signals a visual style. In modern web development, it’s generally recommended to use CSS for styling when the underline is purely decorative (e.g., text-decoration: underline;), reserving <u> for text that carries a specific semantic purpose beyond mere styling.

Example usage:

<p>This is a <u>highlighted term</u> in a sentence.</p>

In this example, the words “highlighted term” will appear underlined in the browser, distinguishing them from the rest of the text.

The <u> tag can be nested inside other inline elements like <span>, <strong>, or <em> to combine different text effects.