The Em Dash Is Dead - Because Algorithms Won't Stop Using It
I used to love the em dash. It carried rhythm, added tension, and gave a sentence room to breathe.
Now it's everywhere. AI tools spray it into every paragraph to fake voice and momentum. The result: a tic, not a technique.
What changed
Trends move in cycles. The Oxford comma had its civil war. The semicolon lost its status symbol. The em dash is the latest casualty - not because it's wrong, but because it's overdone.
Overuse kills impact. The more you rely on a trick, the less it works.
Why AI loves the em dash
- It mimics human timing. The dash feels conversational, so models lean on it to sound "alive."
- It's a shortcut. Instead of choosing between a period, comma, colon, or parentheses, the model throws in a dash and moves on.
- It hides weak structure. Dashes can glue together thoughts that don't belong together.
The result: flat voice, mushy logic
When every third sentence uses a dash, cadence turns monotone. Your argument blurs. The pause that once signaled emphasis becomes background noise.
The fix is simple: make the dash earn its spot.
When to use an em dash (and when to skip it)
- Use it for a sharp break in thought that can't be handled cleanly with a comma or period.
- Use it to set off a dramatic aside that you want readers to sit with for a beat.
- Skip it if a period, colon, comma, or parentheses does the job with less noise.
Cleaner swaps that improve clarity
- Period for two complete thoughts. "We launched late - the brief changed." → "We launched late. The brief changed."
- Comma for a light aside. "Writers - new to the team - feel stuck." → "Writers, new to the team, feel stuck."
- Colon to introduce an explanation. "We picked this idea - it tested best." → "We picked this idea: it tested best."
- Parentheses for a quiet aside. "Keep the draft short - 500 words - for speed." → "Keep the draft short (500 words) for speed."
- Recast to remove clutter. If you're wedging three ideas into one sentence, split them.
A quick house style for teams
- Default to periods and short sentences. Rhythm comes from contrast, not constant pausing.
- Limit to roughly one em dash per 300-500 words. Not a law - a guardrail.
- Never use two dashes in one sentence unless you're truly bracketing an aside.
- Replace "--" with the real "-" only if the dash actually belongs there.
How to de-dash your drafts (fast)
- Search the symbol. Find "-" and review each one with this question: "Would a period or colon be cleaner?"
- Read out loud. If you hear yourself gasping for air, you've jammed too much into one line.
- Check intent. Is the dash carrying meaning or hiding structure?
Before-and-after edits
Before: "Clients expect quick replies - even when briefs are unclear - so we ship something."
After (clarity): "Clients expect quick replies. Even when briefs are unclear, we ship something."
Before: "We chose the smaller feature - it solved the bigger problem."
After (logic): "We chose the smaller feature because it solved the bigger problem."
Prompting AI to stop over-dashing
- "Avoid em dashes unless essential. Prefer short sentences, commas, and colons. Target at most one em dash per 500 words."
- "If you add an em dash, justify it in a comment after the paragraph."
- "Return a second version with all em dashes replaced by periods or commas."
Your voice needs contrast, not crutches
Tools will keep pushing the same rhythms. Your job is to edit like you mean it. Cut the filler, keep the intention, and use punctuation as a choice - not a habit.
The em dash isn't evil. It's just overbooked.
Further reading
For writers using AI
If you're building an AI-assisted workflow, audit the tools you lean on and set style rules up front. Consistency wins.
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