CSS word-break Property
Specifies how words should break when reaching the end of a line
Syntax
word-break: normal | break-all | keep-all | break-word;Values
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| normal | Default line break rules |
| break-all | Break between any two characters |
| keep-all | No breaks for CJK text |
| break-word | Break at word boundaries, overflow words break |
Example
.chat-message {
word-break: break-word;
overflow-wrap: break-word;
}Understanding CSS word-break
The CSS word-break property specifies how words should break when reaching the end of a line. As part of the Typography module in CSS, it is one of the most commonly used properties for controlling the visual presentation of web pages.
You can set word-break to values such as normal, break-all, keep-all, break-word, among others. Each value changes how the browser renders the affected element, giving you fine-grained control over your page layout and design. Choosing the right value depends on the specific design requirements of your project.
Common use cases for the word-break property include responsive web design, component-based layouts, and creating visually consistent interfaces across devices. It works closely with related properties like overflow-wrap, white-space, hyphens to achieve complex styling effects. Understanding how these properties interact helps you write cleaner, more maintainable stylesheets.
Browser support for word-break is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For older browsers, consider using fallback values or progressive enhancement strategies. The property can also be set dynamically via JavaScript using element.style.wordBreak or the CSS custom properties (variables) approach for theming.
Related Properties
overflow-wrapControls whether the browser can break at normally unbreakable points to prevent overflow
white-spaceControls how whitespace inside an element is handled
hyphensSpecifies how words should be hyphenated when text wraps across lines
text-overflowSpecifies how overflowed content that is not displayed should be signaled to the user
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