Underline

Underline

Underline is a typographic style in which a horizontal line is drawn beneath a word, phrase, or sentence to emphasize its importance, draw attention to it, or distinguish it from the surrounding text. In the realm of design, underlining is a fundamental tool used to create visual hierarchy, guide the reader's eye, and convey meaning without altering the text itself. Historically, underlining was a common way to denote titles of books, plays, or other works in handwritten or typewritten documents before the advent of italics. In modern digital typography, underlining is often used sparingly, as it can interfere with descenders (the parts of letters that extend below the baseline) and disrupt the visual flow of the text. However, in web design, underlining remains a widely recognized convention for hyperlinks, helping users identify clickable text. The use of underlining in design extends beyond typography, with underlines serving as graphic elements to separate sections, create borders, or add visual interest to a composition. In user interface design, underlines are sometimes used to indicate fields that are editable or interactive. The thickness, color, and style of the underline can be varied to create different effects and convey different levels of emphasis. Designers must consider the overall aesthetic and readability of the text when deciding whether and how to use underlining in their work.

typography, emphasis, visual hierarchy, readability, hyperlinks, user interface, graphic elements, text formatting, web design

— John Armstrong

CITATION : "John Armstrong. 'Underline.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/underline?E=433372 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"