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Summary

The overflow-wrap property is used to specify whether or not the browser may break lines within words in order to prevent overflow when an otherwise unbreakable string is too long to fit in its containing box.

Note: Originally a Microsoft (unprefixed) proprietary extension called word-wrap, and implemented by most browsers, it has been renamed to overflow-wrap. The original name word-wrap is now considered an "alternate name" for overflow-wrap.

Initial valuenormal
Applies toall elements
Inheritedyes
Mediavisual
Computed valueas specified
Animation typediscrete
Canonical orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
overflow-wrap: normal;
overflow-wrap: break-word;

/* Global values */
overflow-wrap: inherit;
overflow-wrap: initial;
overflow-wrap: unset;

Values

normal
Indicates that lines may only break at normal word break points.
break-word
Indicates that normally unbreakable words may be broken at arbitrary points if there are no otherwise acceptable break points in the line.

Formal syntax

normal | break-word

Examples

p { width: 13em; background: gold; }

FStrPrivFinÄndG (Gesetz zur Änderung des Fernstraßenbauprivatfinanzierungsgesetzes und straßenverkehrsrechtlicher Vorschriften)

p { width: 13em; background: gold; overflow-wrap: break-word; }

FStrPrivFinÄndG (Gesetz zur Änderung des Fernstraßenbauprivatfinanzierungsgesetzes und straßenverkehrsrechtlicher Vorschriften)

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Text Level 3
The definition of 'overflow-wrap' in that specification.
Working Draft Initial definition

Browser compatibility

Feature Firefox (Gecko) Chrome Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support (as word-wrap) 3.5 (1.9.1) 1.0 5.5 10.5 1.0
overflow-wrap 49 (49) (Yes) ? (Yes) ?
Feature Firefox Mobile (Gecko) Android IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support (as word-wrap) 1.0 (1.9.1) 1.0 ? ? 1.0
overflow-wrap 49 (49) (Yes) ? (Yes) ?
  • word-wrap:break-word can be used to work around lack of pre{white-space:pre-wrap} support in IE 5.5-7. See white-space for an example.
  • IE8 introduced -ms-word-wrap as a synonym for word-wrap. Don't use the -ms- prefix.

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

 Last updated by: PhiLho,