<strong>: The STRONG Element
Last updated: 2026-10-13
<strong>The STRONG Element
Marks text of strong importance, rendered in bold by default. Unlike <b>, <strong> carries semantic importance.
| Category | Formatting |
|---|---|
| Content Model | Phrasing content |
| Allowed Parents | Any element that accepts phrasing content |
| Content Tag | Yes — requires closing </strong> tag |
| Status | Standard |
📝 Syntax
<strong>important text</strong>▶ Example
Edit the code below and see the live result in the playground:
🌐 Browser Support
| Browser |  Chrome |
 Edge |
 Firefox |
 Safari |
 Opera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <strong> | ✓ v1 | ✓ v12 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 |
| Supported in all major browsers | |||||
Tip： Use <strong> for importance/urgency; use <b> when you only want bold without semantic emphasis.
❓ FAQ
QWhat is the difference between strong and b?
A
<strong> marks content as important, serious, or urgent — semantic emphasis that screen readers vocalize; <b> is purely visual bold with no semantics. The test: should it be read with a heavier tone? If yes use <strong>, otherwise <b>.QCan I change the default style of strong?
AYes. It defaults to font-weight: bold and CSS can restyle it with color, underline, or anything else without affecting semantics — screen readers recognize the tag, not the appearance. Conversely, bolding a
<span> with CSS does not give you strong semantics.QShould warning messages use strong?
AUsually in combination: bold the word warning with
<strong> to express importance, then add color or an icon for the visual effect. The spec allows nested <strong> to escalate importance, so the most critical warnings can add another level.🏷️ Related Tags
💡 Related Cases
📚 Related Tutorials
