HTML Entity for Tilde (∼)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+223C

HTML Entity for tilde (U+223C) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Tilde?

Tilde (∼) is the Unicode character at U+223C in Mathematical Operators. Official name: TILDE OPERATOR. It is used for similarity, “approximately,” and related math notation.

Remember

Character     ∼
Unicode       U+223C
Named         &sim; · &tilde;
Hex entity    &#x223C;
Decimal       &#8764;
CSS escape    \223C
Not the same  ~ (U+007E) · ⁓ (swung dash)

Prefer &sim; (or &tilde;) in hand-written HTML. You can also type ∼ in UTF-8, or use numeric / CSS forms.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&sim;`	HTML markup (preferred)
Named alias	`&tilde;`	HTML markup
Hex entity	`∼`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`∼`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\223C`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`∼`	HTML text (UTF-8)

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Similarity / tilde operator	`&sim;` or `&tilde;`
ASCII tilde (paths, code)	`~` (U+007E) — type directly
Swung dash (punctuation)	⁓ / `⁓`
Approximately equal	≅ / `&cong;`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\223C"`
Prefer readability in source	Named form over numeric

See it

Live Preview

Tilde operator rendered next to related marks.

Example a ∼ b

Large glyph ∼

Compared ∼ ~ ⁓ ≅

With entities Named: ∼ | Hex: ∼ | Decimal: ∼

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows Tilde with named, hex, decimal, and CSS forms. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS

Four ways to produce ∼, plus a short similarity example.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Tilde (∼) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\223C";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &sim;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x223C;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8764;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Example: a ∼ b</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &sim; (or &tilde;) is the clearest form in hand-written HTML. The browser turns it into ∼.

2. Hex / decimal: U+223C → ∼ or ∼. Same glyph as the named form.

3. CSS: use \223C in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ∼ after the paragraph text.

4. Example: write a ∼ b for a short “similar to” relation.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Tilde.

Not the ASCII tilde

Keyboard ~ is U+007E. Use it in code and paths. Use U+223C for the mathematical tilde operator.

∼

Named forms

&sim; and &tilde; both produce U+223C. Prefer &sim; when the meaning is “similar to.”

⁓

Not swung dash

Swung dash (U+2053) is a punctuation mark. It is not the same character as the tilde operator.

Fonts

Operator font coverage

Most math-capable fonts cover U+223C. If a UI font substitutes poorly, prefer a font with Mathematical Operators support.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\223C belongs in CSS strings. &sim; / ∼ / ∼ belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End entity references

Always finish with ; — write &sim; or ∼, not bare forms without the semicolon.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Tilde (U+223C) and its entity forms (&sim;, &tilde;, ∼, ∼, CSS \\223C) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal support

Tilde (∼)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+223C / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &sim; or &tilde; in HTML. Use \\223C only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this mark is U+223C (decimal 8764) — glyph ∼.
HTML: prefer &sim; or &tilde;; numeric ∼ / ∼ also work.
CSS: use \223C inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ∼ = tilde operator — not ASCII ~, not swung dash.

One line: U+223C → &sim; / &tilde; / ∼ / CSS \223C.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display ∼ in HTML?

Use &sim; or &tilde; (named), ∼ (hex), ∼ (decimal), type ∼ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \223C in content.

What is the Unicode value for this mark?

U+223C (TILDE OPERATOR). Hex 223C, decimal 8764. It belongs to Mathematical Operators (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+223C?

Yes. HTML5 defines &sim; and &tilde; (plus aliases such as &thicksim;). Prefer &sim; for “similar to,” or &tilde; when you want the word tilde in source.

When should I use U+223C?

Use it for similarity, “approximately,” and mathematical tilde-operator notation. Prefer the ASCII ~ (U+007E) for file paths, URLs, and programming syntax.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+223C?

HTML entities (&sim;, ∼, or ∼) go in markup. The CSS escape \223C goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).

Is ∼ the same as ~ or ⁓?

No. ∼ is the tilde operator (U+223C). ~ is the ASCII tilde (U+007E). ⁓ is swung dash (U+2053). They look similar but are different characters.

Did you know?

Tilde (∼) is Unicode U+223C (decimal 8764) — TILDE OPERATOR in Mathematical Operators. HTML5 provides &sim; and &tilde;. Do not confuse it with the ASCII tilde (~, U+007E) or swung dash (U+2053, ⁓).

Next: Tilde Below

Learn the HTML entity for tilde below (combining mark U+0330).

Continue tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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