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<acronym>

Deprecated in HTML5 specifications. Use <abbr> instead.

⚠️ DEPRECATED

Quick Answer

What was the <acronym> tag?

The <acronym> tag was used in HTML4 to mark acronyms like NASA or NATO. It has been deprecated in HTML5 and completely removed from the specification. Use the <abbr> tag instead for both abbreviations and acronyms, with the title attribute to provide the full form.

Definition and Usage

⚠️ Not Supported in HTML5
The <acronym> tag is not supported in HTML5. Use the <abbr> tag instead.

The <acronym> tag was used in HTML 4 to define an acronym.

An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of other words (e.g., "NATO", "NASA", "ASAP").

In HTML5, the <abbr> tag should be used for both abbreviations and acronyms.

Browser Support

The <acronym> tag is NOT supported in HTML5:

Chrome
Chrome
Not Supported
Firefox
Firefox
Not Supported
Safari
Safari
Not Supported
Edge
Edge
Not Supported
Opera
Opera
Not Supported

Old Usage (HTML 4)

In HTML 4, the <acronym> tag was used like this:

Old HTML 4 Example (Don't Use)

<!-- HTML 4 - DEPRECATED -->
<p>The <acronym title="North Atlantic Treaty Organization">NATO</acronym> was established in 1949.</p>

Modern Alternative - Use <abbr>

Instead of <acronym>, use the <abbr> tag:

Correct HTML5 Way

<!-- HTML5 - USE THIS -->
<p>The <abbr title="North Atlantic Treaty Organization">NATO</abbr> was established in 1949.</p>

Multiple Acronyms with <abbr>

<p>
  <abbr title="National Aeronautics and Space Administration">NASA</abbr> and
  <abbr title="European Space Agency">ESA</abbr>
  collaborate on space missions.
</p>

Common Acronyms

<ul>
  <li><abbr title="As Soon As Possible">ASAP</abbr> - urgent request</li>
  <li><abbr title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</abbr> - common questions</li>
  <li><abbr title="For Your Information">FYI</abbr> - informational</li>
  <li><abbr title="Rest Application Programming Interface">REST API</abbr> - web service</li>
</ul>

Why Was It Deprecated?

  • Redundancy: The difference between <acronym> and <abbr> was minimal and confusing
  • Simplification: HTML5 simplified the specification by using only <abbr>
  • Same Functionality: Both tags served essentially the same purpose
  • Better Semantics: <abbr> covers both abbreviations and acronyms

Migration Guide

✅ How to Update Your Code:
  1. Find all instances of <acronym> in your HTML
  2. Replace <acronym> with <abbr>
  3. Replace </acronym> with </abbr>
  4. Keep the title attribute unchanged
  5. Test your page to ensure functionality remains the same

Before and After

<!-- BEFORE (Old HTML 4) -->
<acronym title="World Wide Web">WWW</acronym>

<!-- AFTER (Modern HTML5) -->
<abbr title="World Wide Web">WWW</abbr>

Try it Yourself

Interactive Example

Use <abbr> instead of <acronym>. Hover to see the full meaning:

NASA launched the mission.

NATO has 31 member countries.

Please reply ASAP.

Related Tags

  • <abbr>

    ✅ Use this instead

  • <dfn>

    Defines a definition term