Approximation and ranges
~ is useful for approximate values, rough ranges, and 'around this much' wording where the symbol should look lighter than a full phrase.
~
Tilde
U+007E
~
The ~ tilde appears in everyday text whenever someone wants a direct character for soft tone, approximate values, playful bios instead of a more decorative symbol.
Approximation, soft tone, and playful styling.
Where people actually use this symbol
Soft tone and styling
~ also appears in playful bios, casual captions, and text styling where a soft wave-like tone feels more natural than emoji decoration.
Where it works better than emoji
~ is usually better than emoji when the goal is clean text structure, predictable alignment, and a lighter visual footprint. Emoji win on emotion; symbols win on control and clarity.
Alternative symbols to compare
@
ASCII symbols
U+0040
Email addresses, @mentions, and social handles.
#
ASCII symbols
U+0023
Hashtags, topic labels, and compact numbering.
$
ASCII symbols
U+0024
Prices, budgets, and finance copy.
%
ASCII symbols
U+0025
Percentages, discounts, ratios, and sale copy.
&
ASCII symbols
U+0026
Brand names, pairings, and title styling.
*
ASCII symbols
U+002A
Footnotes, emphasis, wildcards, and note markers.
Related emoji
✨️
activities
sparkles
events & holidays
Sparkles, one of the most flexible decorative emojis. It can mean magic, cleanliness, glamour, excitement, emphasis, or simply making something feel extra special.
*magicsparkle
🖼️
activities
framed picture
arts & crafts
A framed picture, useful for art, decoration, museums, interior style, and images displayed as objects rather than digital media.
artframeframed
📝
objects
memo
writing
A memo with pencil, useful for writing things down, making lists, taking notes, or capturing an idea before it disappears.
communicationmedianotes
Symbol details
- Category
- ASCII Symbols
- Unicode
- U+007E
- HTML
- ~
- ASCII
- Yes