HTML <s> element

The <s> element represents content that is no longer accurate or no longer relevant. It is commonly shown with a line through the text, but the line-through is not the main meaning.

A simple example is an old price that is no longer current, an old offer that has expired, or a statement that the page wants to show as outdated while keeping it visible for comparison.

The distinction between <s> and <del> is their purpose. The <s> element marks information as out of date or no longer relevant. The <del> element records a removal as part of an edit to a document.

An old price shown beside its replacement is a good use of <s>: the reader can compare what it cost before with what it costs now. In a revised paragraph, <del> can show which words the author removed. That can be an ordinary edit; it does not need to be a formal or legal revision.

For a purely visual line through text, use CSS text-decoration: line-through. The reason for crossing the text out is what makes <s> appropriate.

Attributes: GLOBALS.

Typical layout:
<p>
  Previous price:
  <s>€30</s>
  Now: €26
</p>

Visual representation: