it's actually called em dash because it's meant to be the width of an M. There's also an n dash which is meant to be the width of an N.

normal dash is for in-between words, like in in-between!

n dash is usually for numbers, like when you're saying, "I did 4–7 things today."

m dash is for interjecting a sentence to add context—extra information or thoughts and lists of things—without making said context seem less important than the rest of the sentence (which would be the case with brackets).

on mobile keyboards, you can usually hold down on the dash to make the other dashes appear

like so.

and while it's not incorrect to use em dashes with a space before and after the dash — this definitely done in published writing too! — it's less common than using it without those spaces, especially online.

"Normal dash" is also known as a hyphen. It's frequently used in hyphenated words such as "gluten-free" or compound modifiers as in the phrase "a ham-and-cheese sandwich".

En-dash is also used for time periods (1889–1935) and to convey that two entities are involved and equally important (the Dodgers–Giants game, the Iraq–Iran War). It conveys sequence and it avoids taking sides.

some of the most unwholesome twisted shit you can imagine happens in fully platonic situations

it's almost like we shouldn't assign morality to sexual activity or lack thereof

[ID: a threads post by @ thecoolestkate that says “idk regulated food safety kinda rocked i miss her” End ID]