Underlining

Underlining

Underlining is a typographic style where a horizontal line is drawn under a word or phrase to emphasize its importance, draw attention to it, or distinguish it from the surrounding text. In traditional typography, underlining was used for emphasis in handwritten or typewritten documents, as italics were not easily available. However, with the advent of modern digital typesetting, underlining is less common, as italics, boldface, and other formatting options are more readily accessible. In digital contexts, underlining is often reserved for hyperlinks, making them easily distinguishable from regular text. Underlining can also be used to create visual hierarchy, separating headings or subheadings from body text. In design, underlined elements can serve as visual anchors, guiding the reader's eye through the content. However, the use of underlining should be judicious, as excessive underlining can make the text appear cluttered and reduce readability. When used strategically and sparingly, underlining remains an effective tool for emphasizing key information or creating visual structure within a document

typography, emphasis, hyperlinks, visual hierarchy, readability, design

— John Armstrong

CITATION : "John Armstrong. 'Underlining.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/underlining?E=433515 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"