del
The HTML <del> element marks content that has been removed from a document. It communicates an edit or change, rather than merely drawing a line through text.
What you will learn
- What removed content means when marked with
del - How to use
datetimeandciteto add change details - When CSS is enough for a visual strike-through
Basic example
<p>Price: <del datetime="2026-09-01">$30</del> $25</p>The old price remains in the source so readers can understand the change, while the new price is presented as the current value. Use datetime with a valid date or date-time string when the time of the change matters.
Adding a source or reason
<p>
<del cite="/changes/price-update.html" datetime="2026-09-01">Old wording</del>
New wording
</p>The cite attribute can point to a page that explains the edit. It is metadata for the change; it does not automatically create a visible link.
Do not use it only for decoration
If text simply needs a strike-through for visual design, use CSS. Choose del when the fact that the content was removed is meaningful to the document.