em dash
/ˈem ˌdæʃ/
sets off parenthetical content with emphasis—like this—or signals a break
em dash in a sentence
“He was going to win—or so he thought. The em dash adds drama.”
Origin of em dash
Named for its width: the letter 'm'
Related Words
en dash
indicates ranges or connections between items
Oxford comma
the comma before 'and' in a list of three or more
colon
introduces what follows—a list, explanation, or elaboration
ellipsis
indicates omission, trailing off, or suspense
parenthetical
an inserted phrase that adds information without changing the main sentence
appositive
a noun phrase that renames or explains another noun