CSS
CSS: How to Bold Text (3 Simple Ways)
Bolding text is one of the most common and effective ways to emphasize content on a web page. Whether you’re highlighting a title, label, or call-to-action, making text bold helps it stand out and improves readability.
In this blog post, you’ll learn:
- ✅ How to bold text using CSS
- ✅ Different methods:
font-weight, HTML tags, and classes - 🧪 Real-world examples
- 🧠 Best practices for styling bold text
✅ 1. Bold Text Using font-weight in CSS
The most direct way to bold text in CSS is by using the font-weight property.
✅ CSS:
.bold-text {
font-weight: bold;
}
✅ HTML:
<p class="bold-text">This paragraph is bold using CSS.</p>
✅ This applies the bold style to any element with the bold-text class.
✅ 2. Use Numeric Values for font-weight
CSS allows numeric values for finer control:
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
normal | Default weight (usually 400) |
bold | Bold weight (usually 700) |
100–900 | Fine-tuned font thickness |
✅ Example:
.title {
font-weight: 700; /* Bold */
}
.subtitle {
font-weight: 500; /* Medium */
}
🧠 Some fonts support only certain weight ranges—check your font specs!
✅ 3. Bold Text with HTML Tags (Semantic Way)
You can also use HTML tags like <strong> or <b> to bold text:
<p>This is a <strong>very important</strong> message.</p>
<p>This is <b>visually bold</b> text.</p>
- ✅
<strong>is semantic, meaning it also conveys importance to screen readers - ⚠️
<b>is purely visual and doesn’t add semantic meaning
📌 For accessibility, prefer <strong> over <b> when emphasizing meaning.
🧠 Best Practices for Bold Text
| Tip | Why It’s Useful |
|---|---|
| Use classes for consistency | Easier to manage across pages |
| Use semantic HTML where needed | Improves SEO and accessibility |
| Avoid overusing bold text | Maintains clarity and visual hierarchy |
| Test on different screen sizes | Ensures legibility on all devices |
🧠 Summary
| Task | Method |
|---|---|
| Bold using CSS | font-weight: bold or font-weight: 700 |
| Bold with semantic meaning | <strong>important</strong> |
| Bold for styling only | <b>bold</b> |
| Custom font weight levels | Use numeric values (100–900) |
🏁 Final Thoughts
Bolding text in CSS is quick and easy, but how you bold it depends on your goals—styling, structure, or meaning. Use font-weight for full styling control, and prefer semantic HTML tags like <strong> when the text is important.
With a consistent bolding strategy, your content will be clearer, more readable, and more accessible.